Mulki: In the aftermath of a collision between a Tempo and Scooter, the scooter rider sustained grievous injuries at Haleyangady junction on Monday.

The injured scooter rider has been identified as a resident of Haleyangady Kolavailu Balakrishna, it is learned.
Reportedly, the Tempo which was going towards Udupi from Mangaluru crashed into the scooter that was going towards the Haleyangady inner town after crossing the highway while coming from Kinnigoli.

Balakrishna, the scooter rider sustained serious injuries in the crash and was admitted to a hospital.

Surathkal Traffic Police visited the site, conducted an inquiry, and registered a case in this regard.

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Udupi (Karnataka) Apr 29: The coastal district of Udupi is going through a severe shortage of Compressed Natural Gas for Automotive applications.

Although the number of CNG fuel-based vehicles is increasing, the number of CNG filling stations in Udupi district has not risen. In the existing bunks, the supply is not as high as the demand. Due to this, motorists, especially rickshaw drivers have to wait for hours to get their fuel tanks filled.

“I've been waiting for not less than four-five hours everyday for the past one week. Most of the time my vehicle is idle and I am not able to take up fares, as a result of which I have lost so much of income and my bank obligations will take a beating if this continues any longer," Sundar Shetty, a rickshaw driver in Udupi said.

CNG fuel is not being supplied to existing bunks as per demand. And as the demand is high, the stock depletes quickly and sometimes the rickshaws are parked overnight in a queue for early morning refuelling, leaders of the CNG Autorickshaw Drivers Association said.

In Udupi town, there is only one bunk that has CNG facility, but most of the time it is empty.

“Due to high investment on land, equipment and daily stocks, there are not many takers for this business” the bunk owners said.

There is only one CNG station in Kundapura taluk out of three in Udupi district. There are more than 5,000 CNG based vehicles in the district.

The sight of hundreds of rickshaws and other vehicles waiting to fill CNG fuel at the CNG bank in Koteshwar every day from 4 am is very common.

Sometimes one has to wait till 8-9 o'clock. However, there is no guarantee that everyone will get fuel. Similar are the conditions in Karkala and Kundapur taluks of Udupi district.

The rickshaw drivers and other CNG users have appealed to the Udupi district authorities and approached the Udupi Chamber of Commerce and Industry to put pressure on the government to normalise supply and to open more bunks.