New Delhi, April 7 :
New Delhi, April 7:
The explosion of a compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder of a car in the capital yesterday has raised questions about the suitability of the fuel and given the anti-CNG lobby a shot in the arm.
Seven people were injured when the second CNG cylinder of an Ambassador, which was being refilled, exploded at 5.45 pm yesterday. The refuelling machine was torn apart and the roof of the fuel station blown off.
The roof of the car, which was torn apart, landed 10 metres away and the boot is still missing. A Maruti van and an autorickshaw were also damaged. Witnesses said there was a loud noise, but no fire.
This is the first CNG accident in Delhi, and it has raised a plethora of questions.
A significant aspect that needs to be looked into is who will be responsible for the quality of the fuel. Attention also needs to be paid to the infrastructure required to make the fuel available to the consumer.
'There is nothing wrong with the fuel, but thought should be given to the right specification and design of the cylinder. This also means that people should be careful about the quality control of the gas,' said Tata Energy Research Institute director Rajendra K. Pachauri.
CNG is a very high pressure gas and is kept in special cylinders. The cylinder is made of 10 mm thick single-cast iron. Only three companies in the country - in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh - manufacture these cylinders. The shortage had led to suppliers not using the right type of cylinders.
Saturday, 17 May 2025