Commuters facing problems due to 3-day CNG closure

ISLAMABAD: Commuters in twin cities are facing problems due to 3-days CNG closure as public transport vehicles do not complete their designated routes during these specific days.

Commuters waiting for public transports told APP, the people of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad specially the commuters, faced hardship as the transporters fleeced the public and the relevant authorities failed to take action against them.

Under the pretext of gas load-shedding at CNG stations, the public transporters did not ply their vehicles and those which operated also did not complete their routes.

"I caught a public transport wagon of route number 1 from Sadiqabad bus stop when I boarded it, the conductor told me that they are only plying their vehicle upto Faizabad and not going to Islamabad as they are running on petrol due to gas loadshedding", Shahnawaz Sahi, a passenger who was waiting on the stop complained.

However, the same vehicle did leave for Islamabad carrying new passengers to charge the double fare, he alleged.

The taxi cab drivers also kept their vehicles off the road and those who operated overcharged the passengers on the pretext of gas loadshedding.

When a traffic sergeant was informed about the situation, he expressed his helplessness and said that due to gas loadshedding at CNG stations are not providing them gas and they are plying their vehicles on petrol.

It is pertinent to mention here that on Thursday and Friday more than 40 percent public transport vehicles remained off the roads, due to non-availability of CNG, while the cabbies were demanding high fares, as they are running on petrol.

Atif Aslam, a government employee said as per government's commitments CNG sector had first right on gas saved from the private sector's power stations.

He was of the view there was no gas shortage in the country but some vested interest were trying to create these issues.

He said being a fuel of the poor people and of million vehicles, the government needed to take solid steps to provide inexpensive mode of transportation to the people and to ensure continuity of economic activity.