State mulls helping pvt operators to change their vehicles into CNG buses

kolkata: State Transport department is mulling to help private bus operators to convert their vehicles into CNG to cope with the spiralling diesel price hike without increasing fare.

State Transport minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday held a meeting with CNG manufacturing companies and the representatives of private and minibus operators' unions to find out how much help could be extended to the bus operators.

"We will try to explore if this technology could work and an alternate fuel could be made available instead of allowing a fare hike," said Hakim, after conducting the meeting at Kasba Transport Bhawan.

He reiterated that another meeting will be held with the bus operators between 15 to 20 November.

"We will offer them a package in which the scheme will be arranged by us while the financial responsibilities will be borne by the operators," pointed out Hakim.

State Transport department is considering calling experts from all over the country in order to convert the old diesel-operated engines to convert into battery-run vehicles that could be rolled out within the city.

While one such person from Pune has contacted the state Transport department, there are many such JNNURM buses lying with us and also with the private operators.