CNG bus project develops a flat

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 19: The Delhi government's ambitious CNG bus project, presently at a pilot stage, is slowly becoming a victim of mism...

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 19: The Delhi government8217;s ambitious CNG bus project, presently at a pilot stage, is slowly becoming a victim of mismanagement. With the Supreme Court deadline to convert the fleet to CNG by 2001 looming ahead and despite initial encouraging results, the pilot fleet of CNG buses is fighting to stay running.

For starters, there is considerable confusion over the number of buses operating. Of the 11 that DTC claims to have put on the roads, nine are Ashok Leyland CNG buses and two have converted CNG engines. Delhi Transport Minister Parvez Hashmi claims there are 15. Technical experts dealing with the buses on a daily basis, however, say there are just five running daily. The rest, they say, are experimental.

Still, the Delhi Cabinet will mull over a proposal to increase the CNG fleet to 700 in its next meeting.

Despite SC orders to set up 80 CNG city stations, the government8217;s skeletal fleet of CNG buses is coming to the Sarai Kale Khan mother station from five different bus routes for their daily fill. 8220;Indraprastha Gas Limited IGL is reluctant to increase the stations before more buses are added because it implies a huge investment,8221; says DTC chairman and MD G.S. Cheema.

There are proposals to set up another CNG station at the Okhla bus depot, adds Cheema. The IGL however, wants the CNG station about one-and-a-half-km away, closer to the main road. The relocation, it says, will attract other vehicles and help get returns on the investment.

With each station that can feed 100 buses per day requiring an investment of Rs 8 crore, there seem to be few takers for any government free-riding.

The IGL, a joint venture of Gas Authority of India Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, entrusted with setting up the 80 stations has still to hear from the Delhi government on the number of vehicles the stations can cater to.

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According to IGL Managing Director Rajeev Sharma, the 80 CNG stations are likely to be commissioned by March 2000. The IGL has been allotted land for 51 stations and has taken possession of 41. At present, there are 12 CNG refilling stations, eight catering to cars only. Though three others are online with the CNG pipeline, they do not cater to the buses; only the one at Sarai Kale Khan does that.

The problem, informs Sharma, lies in the fact that the CNG gas dispensing system is different to that for liquid fuel which works on gravity. Also CNG there are different systems for CNG-run buses and cars.

The first CNG station for buses is expected to be ready by January 2000 and will be located either at R.K. Puram or at Okhla, says Sharma. The other 80 planned involve a total cost of more than Rs 200 crore.

Talking about the Sarai Kale Khan station, Sharma says CNG as a fuel is not only environment friendly but also cheap. 8220;There is no pilferage. If CNG is adopted, the Rs 50,000 per month per bus loss on petrol to DTC will stop immediately,8221; he says.