Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited has taken initiative to introduce prepaid gas meter in Sylhet for the first time. The project adopted for this purpose will cost more than Tk 117 crore. Under the project, 50,000 prepaid gas meters will be installed in Sylhet city. Therefore, the authorities have taken initiative to start the survey work soon.
According to the Jalalabad Gas Authority, a project has been undertaken to install prepaid gas meters for connected residential customers in Sylhet City Corporation and adjoining areas to prevent wastage of valuable national resources, natural gas and ensure efficient and sustainable use. To this end, necessary survey work will be started at the field level soon. The installation of prepaid meters will start from March next year. The project is scheduled to be completed by December next year.
According to the concerned, under the project, necessary equipment and software for data center, lost data recovery center and online system will be set up. According to Jalalabad Gas Office sources, a residential customer currently consumes an average of 8 cubic meters of gas per month. Their gas consumption can be reduced by installing prepaid meters. Then a customer can use a maximum of 40 cubic meters of gas on average. As a result, it will be possible to save 28 cubic meters of gas. At present, a residential customer pays 975 Tk per month for two stoves. Most of the consumers are not aware of the prevention of gas wastage. They keep the stove burning as they wish.
Read More: Old Dhaka to get 120k prepaid gas meters
In case of prepaid meter, since the customer will pay the gas bill in advance, they will be aware of the use of gas. They will aim to prevent excess gas from burning. Because, the supply of gas will be stopped as soon as the bill for prepaid meter is over. Then the customer has to pay the new bill and get gas.
Concerned officials informed that customers will also get benefit from prepaid meters. Once the meter is installed, a customer can use gas for Tk 300 per month. They will get gas supply using prepaid card. As a result, the customer will save about 600 Tk per month.
Jalalabad Gas Project Office Deputy Project Director Engineer Rabiul Alam told, "Prepaid gas meters are likely to be installed in Sylhet from next March. Initially, 50,000 meters will be set up in the city corporation and its surrounding areas. In all these cases, it will be possible to save gas.”
If the project is successful, there are plans to bring another 50,000 customers under prepaid meters in the next phase, Deputy General Manager (Planning) of Jalalabad Gas, Md. Abu Bakr.
