Long queues at CNG stations

Sufferings mount for 6-hr closure
Four hours had gone by and Rahman Bepari was still waiting for his turn to refill his CNG-run auto-rickshaw.
Rahman, a three-wheeler driver, had been waiting at Jamuna CNG filling station at Moghbazar since 4:30pm for the resumption of operation of the station.
“My total day is ruined. I won’t have left anything in my pocket when I should have earned a reasonable amount of money before Eid,” said hapless Rahman.
Assuming that he would have to refill gas twice before the partial closure of the filling stations in the afternoon, he started his day two hours earlier than usual at 5:00 am yesterday.
One hour into the afternoon, Rahman’s three-wheeler ran out of gas when he was in airport area. After waiting for an hour, Rahman had his turn but could refill gas worth only Tk 40 against required range of Tk 110 as the gas pressure ran low at the station.
Dejected Rahman took another passenger and reaching Moghbazar his auto-rickshaw again ran out of gas around 4:30pm. In front of the filling station there were at least 30 CNG-run auto-rickshaws waiting after 3:00pm for gas.
Rahman earned Tk 800 yesterday, of which he had to pay Tk 660 to the owner of the vehicle. He could earn only Tk 40 against a regular earning amount of Tk 700 to Tk 800 excluding the daily expenditure.
The government has recently ordered to keep CNG filling stations shut for six hours a day between 3:00pm and 9:00 pm to increase gas supply to the power plants against the backdrop of unbearable load shedding in the country.
People’s sufferings turned even worse in the days ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr as the partial shutdown of CNG stations, already hit by low gas pressure, entered the second day yesterday.
Visiting several filling stations, this correspondent found that vehicles were waiting in long queues in front of the filling stations.
“Vehicles carrying goods are suffering the most as they need more gas. But you cannot refill your car fully during daytime due to low gas pressure,” said Al-Amin, driver of a goods-laden pick-up van. He had been waiting at Shahjahan CNG filling station at Paribagh for four hours since 3:00pm.
Al Amin was on a trip from Palashi to take some plastic raw materials to Tongi, a one-and-half-hour drive. By the time he was supposed to get back after delivering the goods and turn around for next trip.
“We usually do not sell gas in daytime as the gas pressure remains too low between 7:00am and 10:00pm. Our electricity bill exceeds our income if we run the station during this period,” said the machine operator of Shahjahan filling station.
Those who have alternatives to run car on fuel oil are the luckiest. Others who do not have the option were seen pushing cars on the streets.
CNG-run auto-rickshaw has to refill the gas cylinder twice to thrice a day while goods-laden large vehicles need more.
“We would have to live this way if the partial shut down of CNG station continues,” said Monir Hossain, a three-wheeler driver.

Courtesy of The Daily Star