Written by: Ishfaq Naseem
2 min readPuneMay 25, 2011 01:52 AM IST
First published on: May 25, 2011 at 01:52 AM IST
The Rickshaw Panchayat,an association of autorickshaw owners and drivers,has told the government that owners are ready to switch to CNG-run autos provided the government upgrades the infrastructure for such autos in the city. They said the switch will also enable them offset the frequent petrol hikes.
The association has proposed 24-hour supply at the existing CNG stations and opening of new stations. The proposal,submitted to the Regional Transport Office (RTO),notes that the owners are ready to convert their vehicles but are unable to do so due to lack of a clear government policy on the same.
Demanding a hike of Re 1 per kilometre in fares,the association told the government that the existing infrastructure was inadequate for conversion of autos into CNG variants. “In Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad areas,there are around 50,000 autos. Of them,around 15,000 run on CNG. Only one CNG station,of 11 in the area,provide 24-hour gas supply. We are ready to convert our vehicles to reduce pollution but there have to be adequate facilities,” said Nitin Pawar,convenor,Rickshaw Panchayat.
He said that while the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has earmarked incentives of upto Rs 15,000 to facillitate conversion to CNG,the Rickshaw Panchayat has asked the government to provide these incentives in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area.
“The petrol hike has been too frequent,” said Pawar. Commuters and rickshaw drivers will discuss the proposal and price hike issue in a meeting on May 31. “All the suggestions will be discussed on May 31. We are taking the passengers’ suggestions and any decision on the proposals will be taken only after the meeting,” said RTO Chandrakant Kharatmal.
“Earlier also there have been hikes which were disproportionate. People have exhausted their limits and the government shouldn’t increase the fare this time,” said PMP Pravasi Manch president Jugal Rathi.
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