Crackdown against intercity transporters begins

Ten vehicles impounded so far by transport authorities.

KARACHI: After 12 lives were lost in the tragic accident on one of Sindh’s deadly highways on Monday, the Karachi commissioner seems to have been woken from his slumber.

Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui has started crackdown against intercity transporters violating the rules. In two separate crackdowns on Tuesday, Regional Transport Authority secretary Manshad Ali and Provincial Transport Authority secretary Ghazanfar Ali impounded six intercity wagons and arrested three transporters.

Similarly, four intercity vans were confiscated and two transporters were held and charged Rs25,000 as fine near Taj Complex, Saddar. In another crackdown at alKaram Square, where an illegal junction of intercity buses was being operated, a member was arrested and the junction sealed. However, the owner of the junction managed to flee.

Siddiqui was of the opinion that by using these substandard compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders, the transporters are not only violating the law but also putting the lives of the passengers at risk. “These cylinders have become walking bombs.”

What the law says

According to the notification issued by the Sindh transport and mass transport department on December 20, 2013, the certificate of installation of CNG kits in buses, coaches, vans and Suzuki pickups can only be obtained from the Hydrocarbon Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) or its authorised workshops. “In case of two CNG cylinders, one should be installed beneath the rear seat and one behind the rear seat transversally located side-by-side properly and steel-shielded from all sides,” read the notification.

“If there is no alternative space, the CNG cylinder should be fitted on the rooftop and the mounting structure should be in the form of a cradle with metal strap bands which should not be less than two in number,” it said.

The notification further forbids all fuel stations from providing CNG to the vehicles whose cylinders are not duly stamped and certified by HDIP. “In case of violation of this rule, strict action is to be taken against the owners of CNG stations,” said the notification. “All vehicles [are] to be checked after every five years and subsequent checking should be [ensured] after every three years.”

The fitness certificate will not be issued to a bus, coach, van or Suzuki pickup unless it has more than one cylinder installed beneath the seat and there is an emergency gate. “No seat [should be there] in front of [the] emergency exit,” warned the notification. “The windows must not be covered with iron grilles and the size of a window should be sufficiently large.”

The notification further added that windows and windscreens should not have tampered glass, which if broken, must not create sharp edges. A special hammer should be kept near the window so that in case of a fire, it could be broken easily.”

The component manager of Pakistan Sustainable Transport, Yar Muhammad Khan, told The Express Tribune that there were well-researched laws available with the government. “Only the will to implement them is lacking.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2015.