CNG-fitted heavy vehicles avoid safety standard

ISLAMABAD: Conversion of heavy vehicles from diesel to CNG facility is continuing despite a ban as it is not less than an explosive for the passengers on-borad and the people around. Two or three cylinders are installed in a vehicle beneath rear seats.

The CNG-fitted public transport is a nuisance for the masses as it may lead to any untoward incident and result into loss of lives.

Though the people are unaware of the threat they are moving along with a bomb in their vehicles, the blithe attitude of the administrators concerned is more worrisome.

In some gruesome incidents of CNG cylinders' explosion, it was seen that the cylinders were much vulnerable as they were installed ignoring the set safety standards.

Besides threatening their lives, the transporters also fleece the commuters. Whenever, the government announces increase in CNG rates, they too raise the fare claiming that their vehicles are run on the CNG and do the same when diesel price is increased.

Talking to APP, Irfan Khan, a commuter, said public transporters increase fares on surge of both diesel and CNG prices.

He said overloaded public wagons further heighten the fear of an untoward incident by CNG kits, especially at the time of filling at CNG stations.

However, all the threats can be averted if a proper Cylinder Testing Laboratory with the required equipment is established and a periodic checking of the CNG cylinders is conducted regularly, he added.

There have been many cylinder blasts in the recent past, which is a clear example of the laxity of authorities concerned in the presence of policy to test the cylinder periodically but due to unawareness of its sensitivity to general public and as well as insufficient cylinder testing facilities, innocent lives have been on the stake, he maintained.

A commuter Ali Hessian pointed out that authorities concerned have failed to take action against people involved in running business of installation of substandard CNG cylinders in vehicles.

All the regulatory authorities have miserably failed to launch an awareness drive to guide them about the safety rules.

Also, they don't have any proper mechanism to test the cylinders, he added.

Secretary Transport Authority Islamabad Kawaka Cabool Mustafa was not available for official version on the issue due to his illness.

However, citizens demanded that regulatory authorities must exercise tight control over the installation of CNG system in heavy vehicles and have check on the people involved in such business.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011