Fill CNG at odd hours in Delhi, get discount

Companies supplying compressed natural gas (CNG) in Delhi will offer a rebate on CNG sold during odd hours in the new year, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday.

The move is aimed at reducing dangerous pollution levels in the national capital.

The gas distributors will issue a public notice on the issue on Friday, the minister said.

"Delhi has become the eye of the storm vis-a-vis pollution. As against the national capital region's gas distribution capacity of 68 lakh kg per day, only 22 lakh kg of CNG is consumed ... there is a problem in the offtake," Pradhan told reporters here.

He was speaking on the sidelines of an event to sign an agreement between India and Qatar that re-negotiated more favourable terms for buying liquefied natural gas.

"It has been decided that from January 1, there will be a rebate on CNG sold at odd hours, so that long queues can be avoided at gas stations," Pradhan said.

The state-run Indraprastha Gas Ltd, which retails CNG for automobiles and piped cooking gas for households in the NCR, said the company will offer discounted price between midnight and 0500 hrs.

"The odd-hour discount will be Rs.1.50 per kg," IGL managing director Narendra Kumar said.

IGL has 181 operational CNG stations in the NCR, catering to eight lakh vehicles.

The company last revised the CNG prices on October 2, reducing the price by 80 paise per kg following an 18 percent reduction in natural gas price.