No let-up in CNG crisis, long queues continue in Lucknow

District administration asks oil companies to improve CNG supply at the earliest.

With no let-up in the CNG crisis, the district administration on Friday directed oil companies to improve CNG supply in the city at the earliest.

The school drivers said they felt like beggars when they went to fetch the gas. (HT Photo)

Many van drivers were not able to pick up school children for the second consecutive day as they didn’t get CNG despite standing in long queues.

The school drivers said they felt like beggars when they went to fetch the gas. “The staff of the pump misbehaves with us, they know that it’s our compulsion to get the gas, so we will have to bear it for our work.”

Students had to opt for other means of transport.

There had been reports of a clash between CNG pump employees and drivers waiting in queue at a fuel station in Vrindavan colony. To prevent occurrence of such incidents, the district administration has told oil companies and GGL to increase the number of CNG dispensers to reduce waiting time for gas.

Green Gas Limited officials said the solution lies in the hands of Indian Oil Corporation management as they have to decide the number of CNG dispensers in the city.

“For two days, we had to tell parents that we cannot pick and drop their kids because of CNG problem,” said Abdul Karim, a van driver in Gomti Nagar.

However, people blamed GGL and Indian Oil for the crisis. “How can the officials sit quietly when people are suffering. Why don’t they increase the number of dispensers immediately. Why the delay? Are they waiting for riots to take place,” asked Naved who was waiting for two hours at a station with his cab.

The sale of CNG vehicles went up by 20% each year, but Green Gas Limited never cared to meet the demand in such a way that vehicles don’t have to form queues for getting gas, he added.