Commuter woes: Shortage of gas making commuters’ pockets lighter

ISLAMABAD:

Owing to high fuel prices, long queues of vehicles, including luxury cars, on roads near gas filling stations in the federal capital testifies to the fact that usage of petrol has badly affected the monthly household budget of a common man.     

The capital has seen a drastic growth spurt in the last 10 years and a large number of new residential units, offices and educational institutions have sprung in its suburbs but the Capital Development Authority and the Islamabad City Administration have yet to chalk-out a comprehensive transport policy to facilitate residents.

Scores of people, including women and children, waiting for long duration on each bus stop is a has become a common site in the city and the lack of proper public transport compels many to use taxis —- an significantly bigger burden on their pockets.

“Even during the long freezing winter nights, the queue don’t seem to end till morning, “ according to Shabbir Hussain, a lecturer at a local, adding that he usually comes back home past midnight owing to the rush at his neighbouring  CNG station in G-8 sector. Filling the gas tanks have become such a painstakingly long process that some people have started taking newspapers and novels along to the stations while others can be seen watching movies on mobile phones and laptops during the wait.

“It costs me Rs600 while on CNG to get to my hometown in Kohat on weekends as compared to Rs2000 while on petrol,” said Rehan Khattak, a reporter by profession.

On the other hand, officials at CDA said the civic body was is in the process of launching a public transport system by the name of Islamabad Bus Service (IBS) on three different routes of the city. Tenders for the project will be floated soon, they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2014.