Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) has launched prepaid gas meter services in Chittagong.
Prepaid meters have been introduced in the port city with the aiming to reduce the misuse of gas and prevent bill manipulation through metre tampering,
Deputy General Manager of the KGDCL Sarwar Hossain formally inaugurated the services at Nasirabad Housing Society on Wednesday.
Primarily Sholoshahar, Nasirabad, Khulshi, Lalkhan Bazar, Halishahar, Anderkilla, Kazir Dewri, Chandgaon, Chawk Bazar and Panchlaish areas will come under the project of the prepaid gas metre services titled "Natural Gas Efficiency Project."
The total cost of implementing the project has been estimated at around Tk246 crore, and is likely to be completed by 2018.
“A total of 60,000 domestic prepaid gas meters are going to be installed in Chittagong metropolitan areas, with a view to checking gas pilferage and reducing waste. We have already installed 20,800 prepaid metres in the city,” said Sarwar Hossain.
He said: “Because this will be a prepaid system, consumers will have to pay before using gas. Also, there will be no way to use gas illegally."
The KGDCL officials said they were hopeful that with the successful completion of the project they will be able to reduce waste of gas as well as the suffering of consumers to a large extent.
Consumers will be much more aware of gas usage with the introduction of the new system, they said, adding that the hassle of waiting for hours in queues to pay gas bill in the bank would be gone.
The officials said consumers will also be able to recharge their accounts like they recharge their mobile phones. For this, recharge centres will be set up at different points of the city.
The KGDCL now supplies gas to 597,662 consumers. Of them, 593,574 connections are household while 2,788 and 1,045 connections are commercial and industrial, respectively.
Meanwhile, city residents living in the residential areas have welcomed the introduction of the newly launched services.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
