The State Environment Department has decided to introduce 20 more CNG buses in the districts of south Bengal. It will be fully funding the project.
CNG or compressed natural gas is a non-polluting fuel and hence does not adversely impact the environment.
The Transport Department has a plan to operate CNG buses all over the state, a plan which will be implemented in phases.
Besides being environment-friendly, CNG buses have another major advantage: though the cost of a bus is more – around Rs 1 crore – the cost of maintenance is considerably less than conventional buses. The cost of fuel is also much cheaper too.
The Government had earlier introduced CNG buses in Asansol and Durgapur, wherea total of 30 such buses ply. Wherever they have been introduced, CNG services have become very popular as well.
With respect to promoting environment-friendly means of travel, the Transport Department has also been giving a lot of support for the promotion of electric and biogas-run vehicles. Electric buses are run in New Town, the model smart city of the State Government. Eighty more electric buses will be introduced in various places by August. Buses using compressed biogas (CBG), produced from cow dung, as fuel run on certain routes in Kolkata.
Source: Millennium Post