Traffic police impound, challan vehicles using substandard CNG cylinder

KARACHI: Karachi traffic police in its crackdown against the transporters violating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of gas cylinders’ usage has begun challaning and penalizing them to avoid untoward incidents, ARY News reported on Friday.

Particularly after the Karachi-Hyderabad M9 motorway incident late last month which claimed more than a dozen lives as a passenger carriage caught fire which completely devoured it, the local transport authorities have been pushed crackdown against the use of substandard cylinders.

According to the traffic police authorities, the traffic personnel challaned at least 22 vehicles which include school vans and intercity passenger buses.

The police said it also impounded at least four vehicles for the outright disregard of SOPs and risking lives of innocent individuals with their criminal negligence.

Police said a total of 121 vehicles were challaned for violating the SOPs in the city today and noted the drive will continue to prevent any unfortunate traffice accidents due to these cylinders.

READ: SHC summons Sindh’s transport secretary in CNG cylinders case

Sindh High Court (SHC) had summoned transport secretary Sindh earlier last year in a case pertaining to CNG cylinders in school vans and the public transport.

The court while showing resentment over the neglect of preventive measures in the school vans, asked who was issuing fitness certificates to such vehicles.

The government’s counsel informed the honourable court that it is prohibited by the government to use CNG cylinders in school vans and public transport in Sindh.

To this, the SHC bench said that notifications were being issued, but who will make sure its implementations.