Tamil Nadu govt to operate LNG, CNG buses on experimental basis for select routes
On Friday, the minister launched the trial operation of two LNG buses each of Metropolitan Transport Corporation and TNSTC Villupuram and two CNG buses from TNSTC Kumbakkonam
The Transport Minister flagged off LNG and CNG buses at Central Depot at MTC headquarters on Pallavan Salai (Hemanathan M)
CHENNAI: Transport Minister SS Sivasankar on Thursday flagged off the trial operation of six Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) /Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses saying that the state transport undertakings aim to reduce operations costs and cut down on emissions from the diesel buses.
Speaking to reporters after the flagging off event at Central Depot on Pallavan Salai, he said that nearly 27 per cent of expenses incurred by the transport corporations account for diesel consumption.
The move to run buses using alternative fuels would enable the government to save 7-20 per cent on the total expenses, and reduce the carbon footprint of the state transport department, the minister said.
On Friday, the minister launched the trial operation of two LNG buses each of Metropolitan Transport Corporation and TNSTC Villupuram and two CNG buses from TNSTC Kumbakkonam. The minister also gave away appointment orders on "compassionate grounds" to 49 legal heirs of employees of transport corporations who lost their lives while on duty.
MTC managing director Alby John Varghese said that about 1.76 crore people are served by the 20,160 diesel buses operated by various transport corporations daily. Based on the orders of Chief Minister M K Stalin to use buses run on alternate fuels, he said that 14 buses using Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) would be operated by seven transport corporations, on an experimental basis.
Two LNG-fueled MTC buses would be operated on the route number 553W between West Saidapet and Sriperumbudur while the TNSTC Villupuram would run the buses between Kacheepuram and Poonamallee.
Pradeep Kumar of Chennai Autogas which retrofitted the LNG/CNG kit on the corporation buses said that the fitting of the CNG/LNG kit would cost between Rs 6.5 lakh and Rs 11 lakh based on the fitment of the cryogenic cylinders. The buses run on the natural gases and offer the same performance as the diesel buses but offer 15 per cent more mileage, he said.