GUWAHATI: 100 buses were procured under the Guwahati Smartt City Project to reduce pollution. The speciality of these buses is that they will be powered by Compressed Natural Gas instead of conventional diesel engines. The state had also ordered 200 eclectic buses in recent times to curb pollution in the city and the neighbouring regions, and thereafter extending it to the rest of the state.
Several of these buses have been delivered to the Assam State Transport Corporation for running. And a report suggested that this organisation might start operating them from the very beginning of the next year.
Compressed Natural Gas or CNG stations are also being set up in the city to serve these vehicles and create a network of fuel points. Since CNG is cheaper compared to other fuels, people of the region are expected to shift to this fuel soon after the network is established.
Parimal Suklabaidya had earlier mentioned "Our initial goal is to build CNG gas stations, and by the following year, Assam will be able to use CNG vehicles. It may take some time for private players who own gas stations to express interest in introducing CNG stations. But given that the work is in progress, we have hope."
Ranjan Das, the ASTC chairman had said, "We have placed an order for 100 electric buses with 31 seats worth Rs 142 crore, and bidding has been issued for the purchase of an additional 100 buses. These buses will be provided by Olectra Greentech Limited. 13 electric buses have already started running in the city under the corporation's management."
"Guwahati Smart City has authorised roughly Rs 29 crore to purchase 100 CNG buses with a capacity of 31 passengers. Tata Motors has been contacted regarding a purchase, and as a result, 68 buses have already been delivered to the city and the remaining 32 will do so shortly," added Ranjan Das.
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