ISLAMABAD - The government has banned use of CNG/LPG as fuel in all public service vehicles (PSVs) and asked provinces and IG Motorway Police to start crackdown against passenger vans using gas cylinders.

In a letter to provincial governments and IG Motorway Police, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has asked for removal of CNG and LPG cylinders from the public service vehicles and school vans, official sources told The Nation.

The Ogra directives came in response to demand made by Punjab Transport Department asking for regulator’s concurrence regarding ban on use of CNG and LPG as a fuel in public service vehicles (PSVs) and school vans.

In recent past, there were severe fire accidents in PSVs especially in Hiace vans (vintage/new) and the transport department was unable to check each and every PSV operating on roads. Therefore, the provincial government had requested Ogra to impose ban on use of gas cylinders in public transport.

“In order to ensure safety of passengers and to avoid unpleasant incidents/ accidents this authority hereby conveys its concurrence to the request of banning CNG/LPG cylinders in public service vehicles,” says Ogra letter.

Through the letter, the Ogra has asked all provinces and inspector general Motorway Police to rigorously enforce its law (Rule I99 of MV Rule 969) and immediately ensure removal of CNG cylinders from all PSVs plying on roads cancelling their route permits for making violation of order.

The school vans, which are private vehicles, in no case will be allowed using CNG fuel and cylinder to ensure safety of the innocent children.

All provincial governments as well as IG Motorway Police have, therefore, been requested to start crackdown against all PSVs having CNG cylinders installed inside the passenger vans with a view to save precious lives of innocent passengers travelling ‘in such PSVs.

Due to some serious fire incidents during last few years, public and parents of schoolchildren were demanding of the government to ban CNG/LPG in public transport and schools vans. A source in Ogra said that decision might affect business of CNG stations but it will be helpful in saving precious lives.