Hakim inaugurates first trial run of two CNG buses in city

KOLKATA: State Transport minister Firhad Hakim inaugurated and conducted the first trial run of CNG buses in the city on Monday.
"After I took oath as state Transport minister, I conducted a meeting with state Transport secretary and senior officials and discussed alternative ways of running buses and not suffering losses due to skyrocketing diesel prices. We decided that these buses should be converted into CNG and battery driven ones," said Hakim, who conducted the trial run of CNG buses at Kasba Transport Bhawan.
On June 21, the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) and the Bengal Gas Company Ltd (BGCL) signed a CNG Bus fuel agreement at Kasba Transport office. The agreement was signed between BGCL CEO Satyabrata Bairagi and WBTC managing director Rajanvir Singh Kapur. State Transport secretary Rajesh Sinha was also present on the occasion. The two WBTC CNG buses inaugurated by the state Transport minister Hakim will run on trial basis for one and a half month. If the trial runs are successful, then 700 WBTC buses running on diesel will be converted into CNG in a phased manner.
"We are focusing on Electric buses and CNG so that Kolkata can become greener and cleaner. If conversion is done in bulk, then the per unit cost will decrease. If CNG buses will ply on the roads then fuel price will be low and subsequently the fare will be reduced," pointed out Hakim. He reiterated that if private bus operators want to convert their vehicles into CNG, then they are always welcome.