Buses to run on CNG

Buses to run on CNG
Deccan Herald

To fight the increasing vehicular pollution in Bangalore, the government has decided to operate BMTC buses on CNG (compressed natural gas) on the lines of Delhi, dhns reports from Bangalore. The conversion of fuel from diesel to CNG would be taken up in a phased manner, Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy said on Saturday. In the first phase, about 1,500 BMTC buses would shift to CNG, he said.

A discussion on the supply of CNG was been held with officials of the Union ministry of petrochemicals as well as the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation on Satuday afternoon, Mr Kumaaraswamy said.

The time-frame for switching over to the CNG was yet to be prescribed as the discussions in this regard were still at the initial stages.

Sources in the BMTC told Deccan Herald on Saturday that the conversion to CNG would be a long-term exercise, the resources for which were too early to be discussed. “Naturally, the most important thing is the supply of CNG which Bangalore does not have at the moment. It could be seen as a long-term plan. Once the Bidadi power plant materialises, the pipeline connectivity will be in place and we can explore the potential of this conversion,” a senior BMTC official said.

The official said once the supply is ensured, the conversion process would not be extensive at the BMTC level. “For the buses, all it takes is technical alterations to run on CNG,” he said.