Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui has called upon the public transporters to get the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders of their vehicles checked from any standard institution to ensure the safety of commuters.
Chairing the 139th meeting of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), he said that 90 per cent of CNG cylinders installed in public transport are sub-standard and therefore they pose a serious threat to the commuters travelling in such vehicles and other motorists, said a handout issued here on Sunday.
RTA Secretary Ghazanfar Ali Qadri, Secretary PTA Ali Sher Mirani, officers of police and KMC, Director Media Commissioner Shabih Siddiqui as well as officers of traffic police attended the meeting.
The commissioner ordered that a team consisting of RTA officials and police should initiate a crackdown against vehicles using sub-standard CNG kits and violating traffic rules. He also directed that the public transport vehicles plying without route permit should also be challaned.
Shoaib Siddiqui said that the home department would be approached to impose Section 144 against the installation of CNG cylinders at inappropriate places in the vehicles which result in accidents. He also called for implementation of court orders regarding public transport.
RTA Secretary Ghazanfar Ali Qadri told the meeting that special snap checking was conducted at various locations in Karachi along with relevant DSP Traffic, and Rs 31,000 fine was charged over violation of route permits, travel over roof-top of buses and other traffic violations. While substandard and improperly installed CNG cylinders were also seized, he added.
On the occasion, DIG Traffic Arif Hanif briefed the meeting about the traffic management in the city.
Senior Director TCD KMC Muhammad Athar apprised the meeting about the implementation of the decisions taken in the last meeting.
