CNG vehicles can’t be exempted next time

There are over five lakh such vehicles in Delhi-NCR; only 4.10 lakh have applied for a CNG sticker

If odd-even is implemented again, an additional one lakh CNG cars may apply for exemption.file photo

Blamed for triggering congestion at arterial stretches during odd-even 2.0, the population of CNG-run vehicles registered across the national capital region has the potential to completely derail the next possible implementation of the scheme if they continue to remain exempted from the restrictions of the road-rationing scheme.

While the total number of four-wheelers issued CNG stickers so far is pegged at 4.10 lakh across the NCR, informed estimates posit the total population of these at around five lakh, which means that close to one lakh more vehicles are expected to seek exemption from its provisions as and when the third rendition of the scheme materialises.

The Delhi government had recently claimed that a sizeable population of such vehicles in addition to commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi, was in line with a conspiracy to fuel congestion and derail the scheme. “We are preparing case studies related to the volume of traffic increasing at selected points. Many of them are commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi. We need to find out where these cars are coming from,” Mr. Rai had said on Thursday.

The Transport Minister also released data on conversion of vehicles to CNG to bolster his claim. Between September and December last year, 5,463 cars were converted to CNG. Between January and April 14 this year, 12,126 were converted.

“The number of CNG-run private vehicles is around five lakh in Delhi-NCR, based on sales figures from our filling station. The total number of such vehicles is eight lakh if you take into account commercial vehicles too,” said a senior IGL official who didn't wish to be named. “CNG-run vehicle that buy the fuel from our filling stations are not only from Delhi but also from Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and even Rohtak,” he said.

During phase-I of the odd-even scheme, Indraprastha Gas Ltd. (IGL) had distributed 3.9 lakh CNG stickers from 114 filling stations. During the last leg, with rumours of fake CNG stickers floating around, the distribution was limited to a single filling station at CGO Complex.

The distribution stickers again started from April 1, 2016 for the second phase of the odd-even scheme and more than 27,000 stickers were distributed.

According to industry sources, there has been a spike in number of vehicles being retrofitted with CNG kits since phase II of odd-even scheme began.