LAHORE, Aug 23: The railway administration has taken up the issue of delay in conversion of gas supply to its residential colonies from commercial to domestic rates with the SNGPL authorities.

Railway officials claim that they have made a substantial payment in this regard to the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) but the utility is delaying the process ignoring all pleas in this respect.

According to them, earlier the railway used to purchase gas in bulk from the SNGPL at commercial rates for its workshops and then supply it to its residential colonies too through its own network. The gas bills were deducted from employees’ salaries.

Under an austerity drive, railway high-ups disbanded their own gas department and decided to hand over the responsibility of gas supply to the SNGPL.

The SNGPL authorities’ condition that the railway should lay a new high pressure gas pipelines was also met and the SNGPL was paid Rs11.9 million in the year 2000-01.

A further payment of Rs5.5 million was made in 2001-02 for the conversion of about 1,677 houses from commercial to domestic system.

The utility has so far offered gas connections only to 607 houses. As work on offering the facility to more houses has been suspended for the last many months, the railway has also withheld further payment to the SNGPL.

Railway officials concerned have requested the general manager (operations) to take up the matter with the SNGPL authorities to resolve the issue and provide a relief to railway workers.

Meanwhile, railway chairman Khurshid Ahmad Khan will visit Lahore and Wagah stations on Sunday to see for himself arrangements and facilities available for Samjhota Express passengers when India and Pakistan would revive the train service.