CNG supply timings: Of long hot days and empty gas tanks

Midday timeslot highly unsuited for summer days, especially for office workers.


Sehrish Wasif May 02, 2014
A long queue of motorists outside a gas filling station in Islamabad. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


For many exasperated motorists, getting their car tanks filled with compressed natural gas (CNG) has become akin to scaling Everest.


The recent addition of a never-ending wait in the scorching sun to the already-repulsive long queues does not help much.

“It is excruciatingly difficult to wait for one’s turn in long queues in this hot weather, but we have no other option as we cannot afford petrol,” said Faizan Sharif, soaked in sweat and pushing his fuel-less car in the afternoon sun. He had been waiting in line since 9am outside a CNG station on GT road near Tarnol.

Another motorist, Mian Shahid, standing in the same queue since 11am said, “The toughest bit of the ordeal is when we make it to the point --- and suddenly the light goes out, making us wait for another hour.”

The new timings for CNG availability from 10am to 4pm are proving uncomfortable for many motorists during the summer. Moreover, people working 8-to-5 jobs are also at a disadvantage.

“It is not possible for people to leave their offices and stand-in long queues during this small window of time,” said Shahid.

After the feat has been accomplished, the sense of relief is overwhelming, he added, which is alarming.

“If these timings are carried forth into Ramazan, I shudder to think of the consequences,” he said.

Amir Shah, a salesman at a CNG station said, “Most of the times it becomes quite hard to manage these consumers. People start fighting just to get ahead of each other in the queue, making the job more challenging for us. We effectively have to act like moderators in such scenarios.”

The number of automobiles pouring in every day from 10am to 4pm usually amounts to over 300 cars. Due to load shedding and low pressure, however, we are unable to deal with them all efficiently, lamented Shah.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2014.

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