Soon, CNG for autorickshaws, cars in Bengaluru

After Piped Natural Gas (PNG), citizens in Bengaluru will soon get eco-friendly Compressed Natural

Gas (CNG) for running three-wheelers and four-wheelers.

GAIL Gas Limited has completed the construction of the first CNG filling station at Beggars’ Colony

off Magadi Road.

“We are planning to commence the supply of CNG for three-wheelers, four-wheelers and buses in a

month. The station will become operational soon once the Petroleum and Explosives Safety

Organisation issues safety certification, GAIL Gas general manager (Projects) Partha Jana said.

GAIL Gas, which has bagged the contract to supply both PNG and CNG in Bengaluru Urban and Rural

districts for the next 25 years, is also setting up similar CNG stations at three other places –

Sumanahalli, Peenya and Hennur – near the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus

depots. Work on these stations will be completed shortly.

The company has planned to set up 60 CNG stations in the next five years across the city.

Jana said GAIL Gas has fixed the price of CNG at Rs 44 per kg, which is cheaper compared with diesel

and petrol. However, CNG can be used for only three-wheelers and four-wheelers by using a CNG kit,

also called CNG retro-fitment. In Delhi, CNG-run two-wheelers were introduced in June on an

experimental basis. CNG is already in use in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.

“CNG is not only environment-friendly but also economical. A retro-fitment for a three-wheeler

costs about Rs 18,000 and Rs 55,000 each for four-wheelers. For light commercial vehicles, heavy

commercial vehicles, light motor vehicles and buses, the cost is about Rs 2.5 lakh each,”

Chandrashekar Naik of Care Cylinders, a Thane-based CNG-kit supplier company, said. The company

has recently set up its office in Bengaluru.

Jana said GAIL Gas has set a target to extend PNG coverage to 25,000 households by March next

year. PNG is already being supplied to 150 households in BEL Colony and 75 households in HSR

Layout (Sector 1).

“We are now laying pipelines in Bellandur, Dollars Colony, Mangammanapalya and Marathahalli. So

far, 250 km of gas pipeline has been laid in Bengaluru and permission has been obtained from the

BBMP for another 250 km,” he said. Use of PNG is optional for citizens and it is not binding on LPG

(domestic) consumers to switch to PNG. Gail Gas has fixed Rs 5,800 for a PNG connection.

NGS INDIA