The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is planning to convert its 3,000 diesel-powered buses to CNG to offer cost-effective service, Transport Minister Antony Raju has said.
He was speaking to reporters after flagging off the trial service of a CNG-powered private bus at Balussery here on Friday. Mr. Raju said the first phase of the conversion process would cover 1,000 buses, for which funds had already been earmarked.
The Minister said the industry would not move forward without exploring cost-effective alternatives like CNG. The State government had already come up with measures to open CNG distribution outlets in existing fuel stations.
Lack of filling stations
Admitting to the shortage of sufficient CNG filling stations in north Kerala, Mr. Raju said he would take up the issue with the Union government. “Also, there should be a better financial package for the vehicle owners who are ready to convert their vehicles to CNG,” he observed.
The Kozhikode District Bus Operators Association leaders who hosted the district-level launch event of the CNG-powered bus said they would encourage more bus owners to try modern CNG kits as it had been found effective. The trial service of the newly flagged off bus would continue for a month on the Kuttiyadi-Kozhikode route.
