The irregular supply of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to gasoline pump dealers in the city has become a problem that causes significant inconvenience to both dealers and customers.
Frustrated with outlets running out of water for 8 to 14 hours frequently over the past month, the Pune Petrol Dealers Association wrote an email to District Supply Officer (DSO) Surekha Mane drawing attention to the seriousness of the matter.
The problem is mainly faced in the rural areas due to the cascade supply method in which trucks loaded with CNG canisters transport the gas to the respective filling stations.
Frequent shortages often lead to disputes between dealers and customers, who are forced to wait in long lines for refills.
In the email, the Association indicated that pump dealers have been facing problems regarding the supply of CNG from Torrent Gas Limited over the past month. Torrent Gas executives have been briefed on the problem. Since the pumps remain without fuel for 8 to 14 hours, customers are forced to return. This has forced dealers to bring the matter to the notice of DSO and Oil Marketing Company (OMC) officials.
Gasoline pump dealers sought appropriate action against the company for the shortage.
Torrent Gas is responsible for distributing CNG gas by cascade method to fuel stations in rural Pune. There have been reports that the company is facing a labor shortage due to some internal issues causing the delay in supply.
Dhruv Ruparel, president of the Association, said that โCNG is supplied to fuel stations either by pipeline, known as the in-line method, or by trucks loaded with CNG through the cascade. The online pumps, which are mainly located in the city of Pune, work well, but there is an irregular supply of CNG in the rural areas.
He said: โThere is only one driver behind two trucks, which causes a delay in supply and creates problems for customers who are forced to wait in long queues for hours. We have written to the DSO demanding strict action against Torrent Gas."
Speaking to the Mirror, the DSO said: โWe have written a letter to Torrent Gas on the matter. They have informed us that everything is optimized and the CNG supply is working wellโ.
A Torrent Gas distributor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Both distributors and customers are facing problems due to mismanagement of supply by the company."
Most of the vehicles, mostly auto rickshaws, PMPML buses and private vehicles, run on CNG fuel.
The Mirror emailed Torrent Gas but received no reply.
