No move to run more CNG buses now

VIJAYAWADA: Replacement of all the APSRTC diesel buses in the city with the vehicles run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is not on the cards now.The RTC which introduced CNG buses in the city in March 2010, proposed to replace all the city buses run on diesel with ecofriendly CNG vehicles.Nonavailability of adequate CNG and the cost factor seem to have prevented the RTC from going ahead with the proposal as the road transport corporation is already in the red.There are CNG plants at Vidyadharapuram, Governorpet- 2 and Ibrahimpatnam Depots.But the capacity of the three plants is not adequate to supply CNG to all the buses.More CNG plants need to be set up if the RTC management wants to replace all the city buses run on diesel with CNG vehicles, said chief traffic officer G Nagendra Prasad.At present, there are 315 CNG buses in the city. Of the total CNG fleet, 215 buses were sanctioned under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).The CNG buses offer smooth ride to the travelling public. As many as 205 buses run on diesel are more than 30-years-old.The buses are more prone to breakdown causing severe inconvenience to commuters.Replacement of the old diesel buses with CNG vehicles is not on the cards now, said Nagendra Prasad.