Nashik: The supply of compressed natural gas (CNG) from Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL) has improved after its LNG-toCNG processing plant became operational at Pathardi. With the CNG supply improving, the Nashik Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (NMPML) has increased the number of total buses from 148 to 190 during the last one month. In addition, 10 more buses will be deployed from Monday. An NMPML official said they are getting adequate CNG and will deploy all the remaining 60 buses by May-end. “Initially, the NMC could not deploy more buses due to inadequate supply of CNG,” the official said. The MNGL started the operations at its LNG-CNG conversion plant from the first week of March. The LNG is being brought to Nashik through tankers and converted to CNG for vehicles. The NMPML, which is the transport wing of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), took over the city bus service from the ailing Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and started operations with 27 buses on 11 routes across the city. The transport utility has hired two contractors on procure, operate, maintain and manage the city bus service. Both the contractors had altogether procured 250 city buses — 200 CNG and 50 diesel. The NMC, however, could deploy only 148 buses, including 98 CNG operated, between July and February that too in phases owing to inadequate supply of CNG. “In last one month, we have added 42 CNG buses on the road, taking the total number of buses to 190. Thereafter, a fleet of another 50 CNG buses will be deployed on the city roads in phases by May 31,” the NMPML official said.