Sindh Launches Crackdown on Use of CNG Cylinders in Public Transport Vehicles.

KARACHI -- The transport department of Sindh has initiated a comprehensive crackdown on the illegal use of CNG cylinders in public transport vehicles, including vans transporting schoolchildren. This action comes in response to a series of accidents caused by the usage of these cylinders.

The department has imposed a complete ban on the use of CNG cylinders and has instructed provincial commissioners and relevant officials to strictly enforce this directive. Despite previous warnings issued by the government to public transport owners, the illegal use of CNG cylinders has persisted. Officials have reported explosions in vehicles due to the use of uncertified cylinders.

Ahmed Nawaz Cheema, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Traffic in Karachi, stated that his department has been issuing fines for violations since 2016 when the use of CNG cylinders was banned following court hearings. The traffic police chief mentioned that action has been taken against vehicles involved in fire or explosion incidents related to cylinders in public transport vehicles. Additionally, the home department ordered the removal of CNG cylinders from school vans, resulting in significant progress in the enforcement of penalties against such vehicles.

Cheema claimed that the number of vehicles with CNG cylinders is currently minimal. He explained that due to the closure of CNG stations for several days each week, many people have switched to petrol or diesel. However, he highlighted that some individuals have shifted to LPG cylinders, leading to the issuance of directives for a crackdown on vehicles equipped with LPG cylinders.

The process of dealing with non-compliant vehicles...