E-Paper
PDAP seeks urgent CNG infrastructure boost in Pune
Petrol Dealers Association Pune (PDAP) has urged the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas to immediately address the rapidly deteriorating CNG infrastructure in Pune
Pune - The Petrol Dealers Association Pune (PDAP) has urged the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) to immediately address the rapidly deteriorating CNG infrastructure in Pune, warning that the existing distribution network has reached a critical stage and requires urgent intervention.
A PDAP delegation led by president Dhruv Ruparel met MoPNG director to present the ground realities faced by CNG consumers and dealers across Pune.
The managing directors of GAIL and MNGL were also present in the meeting.
PDAP submitted that Pune today has approximately 7.5 lakh CNG vehicles dependent on only 133 CNG dispensing stations, resulting in persistent low pressure, inadequate dispensing capacity, repeated DBS station dry-outs and extremely long queues.
According to data compiled by PDAP from dealers across Pune, customers wait a minimum of three hours for CNG refuelling, with waiting time increasing to four to five hours during peak periods.
PDAP emphasised that thousands of auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi operators, commercial vehicle owners and daily commuters are forced to spend several hours every day merely waiting for fuel. This results in loss of earnings, loss of productive time, increased operating costs and avoidable inconvenience to the public.
It pointed out that dealers have absolutely no control over gas pressure, pipeline capacity, compressor loading, gas allocation or infrastructure expansion, yet they continue to face public dissatisfaction, traffic congestion, law-and-order issues and regulatory notices arising from shortcomings in the CNG distribution network.
The association also highlighted that the present situation reflects a widening gap between demand and available infrastructure. Infrastructure expansion has not kept pace with the rapid growth in CNG vehicles, placing unprecedented stress on the existing network.
During the discussions, MoPNG directed MNGL to prepare a comprehensive Action Plan, and informed that the Ministry will review MNGL’s progress after one week.
Speaking after the meeting, PDAP President Dhruv Ruparel said “Our demand is simple Pune needs infrastructure, not assurances. Citizens should not have to waste three to five hours merely to refill CNG. Every hour spent in a queue is lost income for an auto-rickshaw or taxi driver and unnecessary hardship for lakhs of Pune citizens. The burden of inadequate infrastructure cannot continue to fall on consumers and dealers. Immediate ground-level improvements are the need of the hour.”
