Most of CNG filling stations were remained closed on Saturday, causing great difficulties for commuters and motorists. Long queues of vehicles outside the filling stations also disrupted traffic on different roads, mainly trunk GT road. People greatly perturbed due to waiting for long time in queues while CNG owners are also taking full advantage of the situation by supplying low pressure.
Hussain Jan, a university student said that he has been waiting for half an hour for public transports; vehicles are not fully operating due to CNG strike in the city. He said the masses are the ultimate sufferer in this tug of war between the government and CNG owners. He asks the government to accept their demand, to end the miseries of people.
The university student said the transporters almost charging double fares, if the CNG prices could ascertain at same ratio, then government should announce it as per demand of station owners.
"I earned nothing for last three days because of non-availability of gas," said a riskshaw driver. He said he is a solo bread winner for his family to feed three kids by end of the day. I had borrowed money from a relative to run my daily expense, as nothing earned for last three day.
"We have known well the miseries of the people, but, we are forced to increase fares because of running vehicles on petrol and diesel, due to closure of CNG station," said Hazrat Wali a leader of transporters while talking to this scribe. According to the manager of CNG filling station, who told this scribe that they had stopped sale due to cut in CNG prices by the Supreme Court. They said the government should also decrease huge taxes, power tariff and other charges, if it cuts the CNG prices.
"We purchase CNG at about Rs 69 per kilogram. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has directed us to sell it at Rs 54 per kilogramme but it hasn't told us as to who will afford the losses we face on daily basis," said a station Manager. The CNG stations, he said, had gone on an unannounced countrywide strike against decrease in price. The manager added that they couldn't afford selling CNG at the designated price. If government wanted to provide relief to the consumers, it should reduce the taxes and OGRA should notify it immediately, the manager said.
Owing to non-availability of CNG, the transporters have also raised fares on different routes and overcharged the passengers. An official of the transport department said that RTA teams would check the fares as fare lists were already notified. However, he said that in case of non-availability of CNG it would be difficult to take action against the transporters. "We are compelled to increase fares, because we can't afford to run vehicles on petroleum and current CNG charge," said the transporter. He further informed that transporters have added 20 percent increase in fares at intra-districts routes.