RAWALPINDI, May 25: The Rawalpindi district government is framing a policy to regulate the installation of new petrol/diesel filling stations and CNG gas stations. Lack of regulatory mechanism in the past had led to haphazard mushroom growth of this sector. Rawalpindi city today holds the distinction of having the highest number of filling and gas stations in a city in the Punjab.

Several citizen groups have in the past expressed concern over the rapid and unchecked growth of filling and gas stations, particularly in the densely populated areas causing inconvenience to the residents. The district government on Wednesday directed the tehsil municipal administrations (TMAs) and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) to submit their proposals within 10 days on regulating the business.

These proposals should relate to the minimum size of plot for such facilities, the distance between two stations, traffic congestion situation etc.

The RDA and TMAs have been further asked to indicate the areas not recommended for setting up of filling and gas stations, but still have such facilities.

Talking to Dawn, District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani said after the receipt of the proposals from RDA and TMAs, several areas particularly the thickly-populated neighbourhoods would be declared negative areas for filling and gas stations.