CNG vehicles fleece all the same

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, NOV. 24.

The Delhi Government's decision to announce a differential fare structure for CNG and petrol-driven auto-rickshaw and taxis is creating widespread confusion among commuters. And taking advantage are the city's CNG auto and taxi drivers who are literally taking them for a ride.

Though as per the hike, CNG-run autos and taxis are required to charge 2.5 and five times respectively on the meter. This is hardly being followed. With little awareness among commuters and no enforcement mechanism in place to ensure that differential tariffs are implemented, drivers have been forcing passengers to pay three and six times respectively the fare meant for petrol driven vehicles.

All this despite the fact that operational costs of CNG vehicles is less than that of petrol-driven ones. For example, a CNG-run DLT Ambassador taxi can run for about 24 km for Rs. 13, the petrol one can go only 11 km for Rs. 28. As for CNG-run three- wheelers, it can run for about 40 km for Rs. 13, while for the petrol-driven ones it is 25 km for Rs. 28.

Though some commuters have tried to resist being fleeced by drivers of CNG-run vehicles pointing to the white label on front and the green belt on the sides and rear, the drivers seem adamant. ``We run both on CNG and petrol. The label is only for police and officials and not for you. You have to pay.''

Conceding that the problem exists, the Delhi Transport Minister, Mr. Parvez Hashmi, says: ``It is the people who have to take the initiative. They should lodge complaints along with the vehicle number. Strict action would be taken against them including impounding of vehicles.''

According to Mr. Hashmi, there was a proper complaint cell in their Enforcement Wing. ``Until and unless people come forward, we cannot do much in this regard,'' he says.

A traffic police official at New Delhi railway station admitted they were often witness to heated arguments between drivers and commuters. ``But a majority of the passengers prefer to pay whatever the driver demands and get rid of them.''

According to officials manning the pre-paid TSR booth at New Delhi station, they ensure and defend commuters' rights here and at the other pre-paid booths.``But once on the roads, it is these drivers who rule.''

With the number of CNG-run vehicles on Delhi roads slated to go up in the coming months, the problem will only escalate. As of now, only 10 per cent of vehicles run on green fuel. It is estimated that the Capital has about 1,100 CNG taxis and 5,000 autos.

Auto-rickshaw and taxi union leader Jaswant Singh Arora puts the blame for this on the Delhi Government for its lacklustre policy which cannot be implemented. ``The differential tariff rate is confusing,'' he says, demanding a uniform auto and taxi rate.

Referring to the Government's directive making a green band mandatory for CNG-driven vehicles so that they could be easily identified, Mr. Arora says: ``Even this is not going to solve the problem as certain unscrupulous elements are going to take undue advantage of this differential policy.''

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