Kerala mulls running buses on electricity, alternative fuels

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 17 (UNI) Kerala Government is exploring the possibilities of running the state-owned transport corporation buses using electricity, Transport Minister Mathew T Thomas informed the State Assembly today.

Replying to questions by Mr M Hamsa and others, he said a project report for Rs 1,280 crore had been submitted before the XIII Finance Commission in this regard.

Mr Thomas said the government was seriously considering operating KSRTC buses on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the wake of steep hike in the prices of diesel.

Mr Thomas claimed if the state-owned buses were operated on LPG, the KSRTC could save 60 per cent of fuel cost as it required only Rs 172 crore against Rs 430 crore for diesel.

Though buses were running with CNG in cities like Delhi, for the first time an attempt would be made to run them on LNG which, he claimed, would more profitable.

Although Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) was not available in the State, the government had submitted a Rs 280 crore project before the Finance Commission for the development of basic infrastruture for running 1,500 buses on CNG.

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