CNG bus reaches Rohtang in smooth run
The trial run of a CNG-run bus was today conducted successfully on the 51-km Manali-Rohtang road.
The 27-seater Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus with 27 passengers started from Manali at 6 am and reached the 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass at 9.40 am. The bus took a 15-minute break at Marhi. On its return journey, the bus started at 10.45 am and reached Manali at 12.45 pm.
Confirming the success of the trial run, Manali SDM Jyoti Rana said the bus reached the Rohtang Pass without any trouble. The next trial run would be held on July 23 or 24. A report would be submitted on the success of the trial run to the government soon, she said.
Sources said the road was closed for traffic and no vehicle plied on the road during the trial run. The next trial run would be conducted amid traffic.
The Border Roads Organisation, which maintains the Manali-Leh road, closes the road for traffic every Tuesday for maintenance. It was for the first time that a bus running on eco-friendly fuel had successfully reached the Rohtang, they said.
Asked about the difficulties faced during the uphill journey, bus driver Balwant said they did not encounter any problem and the bus successfully reached the Pass.The Transport Department had specially acquired the CNG-run bus from the Delhi government to explore the feasibility of plying an eco-friendly bus in the high mountainous terrain.
The state government was exploring options to run eco-friendly CNG-run and battery-operated buses in the eco-fragile zone after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a restriction on the number of vehicles going to the Pass.
The NGT had restricted the number of Rohtang-bound vehicle to 1,000 — 600 petrol and 400 diesel-run vehicles per day.
The restriction had also affected the tourism industry in the area.
The NGT had also imposed a complete ban on the commercial activities at Rohtang Pass, Solang Nallah and Marhi. The ban had hit the livelihood of thousands of people associated with the tourism-related activities at these places.
Nearly 90 per cent residents of nine villages located between Manali and Rohtang Pass, who were solely dependent on adventurous sports and renting out traditional and snow dresses, had been rendered jobless.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/cng-bus-reaches-rohtang-in-smooth-run/109610.html
