Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Co Ltd provided another opportunity to users of unauthorised gas lines to legalise such connections by fixing a certain fee only instead of a security deposit.

The authorities made all rules and regulations flexible in a bid to regularise all illegal connections.

A gas connection requires a certificate from the Department of Explosives but the connections legalised under special provision was reprieved of collecting such certificate.

The authorities also waived fines and gas bills for the unauthorised usage period.

A total of 1,13,152 legal domestic and commercial gas connections now exist in the city. This figure includes around 52,000 unauthorised domestic users who legalised their connections under the special facility between February 20 and May 15.

However, these indiscriminately legalised connections have made way to a large number of below standard pipes and other equipment used in the gas network and increased risks for city dwellers.

But a few scrupulous consumers found a way of bringing in new lines to areas unspecified for the supply of gas connections, especially because of safety reasons, by drawing new lines under the pretext that illegal lines had already existed in such areas.

The authority now takes pride in stating that they have brought to track illegal connections and are now documented. Users will have to pay monthly gas bills.

The authority further stated that previously no one knew how many illegal connections existed, but now a large number of such connections are under their control.

The public relations wing of the authority told Star City that authorisation of these illegal connections did not lower safety of the gas network as these connections were in operation for a long time.

"This legalisation initiative has brought illegal users on track and we can officially make them pay," said an official of the section.

Another top official of Titas said that as people are aware that gas is a dangerous substance, they do not handle connections on their own, but require experts to do so.

"We believe that employees and listed Titas contractors, who are experts in the field, have had a hand in all such illegal connections," he said.

"These employees and contractors regularly collect a huge amount of money from unauthorised consumers and here lies the interest in setting up illegal connections. They even create obstacles to the unauthorised consumers to take up the special offer to legalise their connections," he added.

Initiation of the procedure was met with corruption, and Titas authorities had to change the circular regarding two times in order to avoid further disruptions in the legalisation process.

In the first circular published in various newspapers, the authorities offered consumers legalisation of both connections and burners.

Some Titas employees making use of this opportunity, talked consumers into drawing new lines through narrow and under-developed roads and lanes, and declaring these lines illegal, got the lines legalised without meeting any safety measures.

Titas then changed its course and made the legalisation offer for burners only.

According to Titas' public relations wing the gas authority will remove the low standard pipes and equipment through constant, strict drives.