Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has rolled out an automated verification system aimed at preventing CNG vehicles with expired cylinder safety certification from being refuelled, tightening compliance with mandatory testing requirements across its network.
The technology-driven system automatically verifies the validity of a vehicle’s CNG cylinder certification before allowing fuel to be dispensed. The move is intended to replace dependence on manual checks and ensure that cylinders that have crossed their prescribed testing period are identified at the filling station itself.
Automated safety check
CNG cylinders operate under high pressure and are required to undergo periodic hydrostatic testing at authorised facilities to ensure their structural integrity. The process is designed to identify corrosion, damage or deterioration that could compromise a cylinder’s ability to safely withstand pressure.
Under the automated system, vehicle and cylinder-testing information can be checked during the refuelling process. If the prescribed testing validity has expired, the system can restrict CNG dispensing until the cylinder undergoes the required inspection and receives valid certification.
The initiative seeks to close gaps that can arise when safety compliance is checked manually at filling stations, particularly given the large number of vehicles using CNG across Delhi and the National Capital Region.
IGL has a substantial CNG retail network catering to private cars, autorickshaws, taxis, buses and commercial vehicles. Automating verification at the point of refuelling is expected to make compliance checks more consistent across stations.
Focus on cylinder fitness
Unlike petrol or diesel tanks, CNG cylinders store fuel at high pressure, making periodic testing a critical part of vehicle safety. Testing examines whether a cylinder remains fit for continued use and can safely withstand the operating pressure for which it was designed.
The automated verification mechanism is intended to ensure that vehicle owners complete mandatory testing within the stipulated period rather than continuing to use cylinders whose certification has lapsed.
Owners whose vehicles are flagged for expired certification will need to get their cylinders tested at authorised facilities and ensure that the updated information is reflected in the system before normal refuelling can resume.
Digital compliance push
The initiative also marks a shift towards technology-based enforcement of CNG safety norms. Linking fuel access with compliance records provides a direct mechanism to encourage motorists to keep their cylinder certification up to date.
The system could also reduce the burden on filling-station personnel, who would otherwise have to rely on physical inspection of documents or cylinder markings while handling large numbers of vehicles.
For motorists, the rollout makes keeping cylinder-testing records updated particularly important. A lapse in certification could now directly affect the ability to refuel a CNG vehicle, turning periodic cylinder testing from a largely document-based requirement into an automatically enforced safety condition.