The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has made a plan to run heavy vehicles like trucks and buses with CNG in the country. Efforts to materialize three plans have already started, and trials are now being conducted in Delhi to run two wheelers fitted with CNG kits.
On Thursday Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar launched the trial phase of two wheeler fitted with CNG kits. On this occasion, Mr. Pradhan said the trial will first be done with two wheelers and if desired results are obtained, similar tests would be conducted with the vehicles.
The pilot program involves 50 CNG retrofitted two wheelers. The first batch of 10 CNG retrofitted two wheelers was flagged off by Javadekar and Pradhan at the IGL filling station at CGO Complex.
The performance of these two wheelers would be monitored during the pilot phase, and the then a roadmap will be developed to introduce CNG in two wheeler segment across the nation. Petroleum ministry also has plans to carry our similar tests with trains, buses and trucks. Many countries in the world are already using CNG to run heavy vehicles like buses, trucks; however India is yet to start using CNG to run heavy vehicles, except some metro cities where buses are being run on CNG power (but only within city limits).
Petroleum Minister also said that the cost to run a CNG fitted scooter is 40% lower than that running on petrol. Moreover the CNG vehicles will 75% less pollution compared to petrol vehicles.
“Government is not giving subsidy for CNG-run two wheelers. These two wheelers would be 40 per cent more economical than the petrol ones. Thus, the consumers will save on fuel cost,” Pradhan said.
Mr. Pradhan also said that Delhi government should operate Bawana Gas Power Plant on full capacity and close down Badarpur Thermal Power Plant.
Speaking on the occasion, Javadekar said that the government wants to control pollution in the country and is fully committed to this. He said that Environment Ministry will provide support to promote clean fuel, including gas, in the country.
Sugato Sen of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) said that CNG prices are very less compared to petrol which means there would be more demand for CNG, scooters in future. He however said that the government had not yet informed SIAM about the CNG scooters. Sen said there is no issue in CNG scooters being practical on roads.
