India’s first CNG bus which can run 1,000 km in one fill unveiled

In a major step towards making India a gas-based economy and making CNG as the eco-friendly option for long-distance transport in the country, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, unveiled India’s first long distance CNG bus fitted with composite CNG cylinders, which can travel around 1,000 km in a single fill. The project has been executed by Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and has been achieved through pioneering design of Type IV composite cylinders in buses, replacing the traditional, very heavy Type-I carbon steel cylinders.

Lauding the initiative, Pradhan described it as a milestone in ease of living for the people of country. He said that these CNG buses are being run on pilot basis, but soon they will be scaled on commercial basis. “Delhi has witnessed a revolution in the shift towards cleaner, gas-based fuels. Over 500 CNG stations are operating in Delhi NCR today and about 12 lakh piped natural gas connections have been provided. Over 1,000 PNG connections are being provided daily in the NCR. Long-haul CNG buses originating from Delhi to other locations will further drive this shift towards cleaner gas-based fuels. This will improve overall ease of living of people by mitigating the problem of air pollution, ensuring a cleaner environment and reducing waiting time at CNG stations,” Pradhan said.

He said that the Government wants to have green corridor around the national capital, with the buses from Delhi to Chandigarh, Dehradun, Agra, and Jaipur running on CNG. Congratulating the agencies involved in the long distance CNG bus fitted with composite CNG cylinders, he said that the cost of such cylinders should be brought down, and economies of scale used to make them more popular and acceptable.

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