The current Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) crisis has affected us all and things seem to be going from bad to worse. Until September last year, CNG was unavailable two days a week; however it has now become an unattainable commodity for as much as three days in a row (in some cities it is more than that). Private and public transport owners are compelled to run their vehicles on petrol which is expensive, while state officials incessantly negotiate on CNG prices behind closed doors and its rare availability for public use.
According to reports, there are 3.5 million private cars running on CNG in Pakistan, making it the largest CNG car user; nevertheless it is the 27th largest producer of gas in the world. The only problem is that this precious natural resource is quickly depleting while the demand is ever-increasing. Other mega gas consumers like the fertiliser industries are also struggling to gain a fair share of gas to run their plants, hence pressuring the government to chalk out a way to fulfil the demand.
The quickest and the easiest solution at hand is to encourage people to revert to the consumption of petrol once again and to promote Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the market. A small number of private vehicles have already begun using LPG, though the majority still waits in long queues for CNG supply. Nevertheless, one needs to do some long-term thinking here instead of dealing with day to day issues. Former President General Mushraff’s government encouraged the use of CNG and the public found it to be a cheaper and environment-friendly substitute; however only a decade after installing CNG kits in our vehicles, we are facing a huge gas crisis. How economical do you think LPG will be in the long term since much of it is imported to meet the demand, has no set prices and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has allowed only 17 companies to manufacture LPG cylinders?
In order to curb these aggravating issues, why don’t we improve upon the factors that are causing this situation, instead of operating in a problem-solving mode? A great contributing factor is the persistent increase in the number of private cars and motorbikes. Why does every household want to own a car or a motorbike? Because the public transportation system is in a shambles, unreliable and quite rundown (if one wishes to reach their destination in good shape). Therefore, mending our mass transit system will solve the on-going CNG/LPG crisis, dissolve long and tiresome traffic jams, improve environmental conditions and most importantly, prove to be convenient for the public, without forcing them to purchase expensive vehicles.
The mass transit system consists of the means of transportation that are owned by the state and are solely available for public use. There are various modes of mass transit which includes buses, trains, trams, underground tubes, ferries and airlines. Numerous countries around the world are effectively utilising mass transit means to save fuel, reduce their carbon footprint, preserve natural resources and to cultivate a safe, clean and healthy environment for the citizens. In Chicago, 1.6 million people commute daily via suburbs and elevated trains while the French heavily rely on their Metro subway system to move within the city. In Hong Kong 90 per cent of commuting is done via mass transportation. Every person has an ‘octopus card’ which is used for travel purposes anywhere in the city and can be recharged easily. Many households don’t feel the need to own a private vehicle as public transport is considered a better option. Denmark has introduced an urban bicycle programme in which people can unlock a cycle for a quarter, cover their distance and lock it again at the nearest parking lot, and get their quarter back. Even our neighbours, the Indians, rely on trains and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for swift mobility, but where do we stand? Let’s analyse.
Pakistan can make productive use of a number of modes of mass transit system. For example, Karachi inherited a solid, well-structured circular system made by the British. The Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) covered some of the important stations in the city and new tracks could have been laid had there been sufficient space. Back in the ’60s rails and trams were used by the public as the chief means of travel but unfortunately, the service kept deteriorating until they completely vanished.
Recently, a Japanese Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, has agreed to grant a soft loan of $1.5 billion for the revival of KRC. Underground corridors and elevated LRT (Light Rail Transits) tracks will be laid through thickly populated areas which will be operated with electricity. The government is considering building six LRT corridors throughout the city. “Looking at the present landscape and space constraints in Karachi, LRT is the best mode of mass transit. Signal-free corridors will accommodate many travellers at a time and will allow quick and safe journey,” explains Dr Shabbar Ali, Chairman, Dept of Urban and Infrastructure Engineering, NED University.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is being introduced in Lahore and construction is in progress on some of the important and busy roads of the city. BRT is an exact replica of the Turkish road transit as a Turkish consultancy firm has carried out the feasibility study and drawn road designs. Once it is functional, traffic jams and accidents will drastically decrease, making roads relatively safer.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any mass transportation vehicles available within Islamabad city; however, the Daewoo service between Lahore and Islamabad is a perfect example of the BRT on signal free corridors.
Our country has an ideal structure to develop an effective mass transit system, only if the state-owners realise its dire need and benefits. Also, local engineers and consultants can design LRTs, BRTs and underpasses for the country; institutions like NED University of Engineering and Technology offer specialisation in Urban and Infrastructure Engineering. If the mass transit system improves in Pakistan, many problems will be solved; it’s just a matter of making it happen.