CNG pumps check for expired cylinder certificates automatically now: IGL has started using cameras to match vehicle number plates with hydro test records before refuelling

Delhi's gas distributor Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has begun checking vehicles at the pump before they refuel. Cameras placed at station entry points now read incoming number plates, and this data is matched against CNG cylinder hydro-test certification records to catch vehicles running on expired or invalid cylinders, acccording to news agency ANI.

The automated system has been deployed across ten retail outlets so far, as part of an ongoing enforcement drive to strengthen on board CNG cylinder safety. The gas distributor said the system links vehicle registration details with cylinder certification stored on the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) online portal, allowing it to spot mismatches instantly.

How does the camera and AI system actually work?


High resolution cameras positioned at station entry capture the registration plate of every approaching vehicle. This information is then processed through an artificial intelligence application, which confirms the link between the vehicle and its CNG cylinder, and checks that link against compliance records held on the PESO portal.

"The proposed system would enable vehicle registration details to be matched with CNG cylinder hydro-test certification records, facilitating identification of vehicles whose hydro-test certification may have expired or may not be valid," IGL said in a statement.

If a vehicle fails this check, station staff are alerted right away. The company said alerts go out simultaneously on handheld terminals carried by staff, on digital LED boards installed at the station, and through public address speaker announcements, so that both attendants and customers are made aware of the failed check in real time.

Does this mean manual checks at CNG stations are being stopped?

The automated system does not replace the existing manual safety process, it runs alongside it. Forecourt staff still inspect paper certificates before fuelling any vehicle, and company officers carry out field inspections to make sure attendants are dispensing fuel only after documentation has been verified.

IGL said the combination of the two processes is meant to reduce reliance on manual oversight while building a centralised, traceable monitoring system across its outlets. "With this automated verification system, IGL has made the compliance-checking process more systematic, technology-enabled and traceable while strengthening safety for customers as well as personnel working at CNG stations," the company said.

What is the rule that makes these hydro-test checks mandatory?

The certification checks are tied to a specific legal requirement. Under Rule 35, Sub-rule (1) of the Gas Cylinders (Amended) Rules, 2025, every vehicular CNG cylinder must undergo hydrostatic testing once every three years, carried out only at testing centres certified by PESO. A vehicle found non-compliant is denied fuel until its owner produces an updated testing certificate.

IGL also indicated that this digital check could grow into something bigger down the line. "The initiative is part of a broader digital safety ecosystem wherein relevant CNG cylinder certification information could eventually be integrated with vehicle-related database, subject to the applicable regulatory framework," the company added.

Will this system expand beyond the ten stations?

For now, the automated verification system is limited to ten outlets, but IGL said the plan is to widen its reach. The company noted that the mechanism will expand across its broader regional station network over time, as part of what it called its continuing focus on technology and digital solutions to strengthen CNG refuelling safety standards.

Until that expansion happens, vehicle owners at the ten covered stations should expect their number plates to be scanned and their cylinder certification checked automatically each time they pull in to refuel, in addition to the existing manual paperwork checks already in place.

Inputs from ANI