Off & on closure of CNG stations adds to commuters' woes

The five to six days weekly closure of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations has compounded the problems of commuters, as they face shortage of public transport vehicles.

The non-availability of CNG as well as opening of CNG stations once or twice in a week at night has caused shortage of public transport in the city.

The federal and provincial government seems to be lacking a vision and strategy to deal with the situation where the ever fast growing population looks for an increasing number of public transport means but the number of vehicles is on decline due to a number of reasons.

Around 98 percent of all public transport operating in the city has been converted to CNG.

The CNG sector clamed that it consumes a very small portion of 150 MMCFD gas (which is total gas consumption of CNG sector in the country) that is diverted from CNG sector to domestic sector users, which may not help improving gas supply.

It may be recalled that after the introduction of CNG technology and frequent increase in fuel prices, conversion of public transport buses on CNG started on massive scale.

It has become a normal practice of buses and minibuses operators to reduce number of buses on roads on the days of closure of CNG station in the city on the pretext that they operate transport on CNG.

Women complain that the buses are overloaded with male that keep females hesitant to take risk of traveling on buses and minibuses.

The commuters' problems to reach on duty and back to home are worsening with passage of each day due to shortage of public transport and reducing number of buses and minibuses playing on roads owing to closure of CNG stations for long duration.

Beside that female commuters face immense problems in the city due to harassment they face each day in buses and minibuses as compartments for women are usually occupied by male commuters.

Women brave immense problems while traveling in these crowded minibuses due to their physical and mental harassment they face by male commuters who virtually touch them while commuting in these stuffed public transport vehicles.

The few vehicles that travel on the roads are also in bad condition owing to the negligence of the transportation authorities.

Women are 52 percent of Pakistan's population but only four seats are allocated for them in the public buses including one over the engine. In spite of the lesser number of seats and space available for females, male passengers sometimes occupy their compartment as well.

The most uncomfortable seats for women are those whose backs are attached to the men's compartment because women on these seats are usually molested by poking fingers and groping hands.