Mangaluru: First CNG bus starts operation in DK

Mangaluru: In a first, a bus running on compressed natural gas (CNG) has started operations in the Karavali Coast on Saturday.

The bus, made by the Tata company, is currently plying between Uppinangady and Mangaluru said the owner of the bus Ronald D’souza from Adyar.

The bus costs about Rs 30 Lakhs including registration fees, which is about Rs 3.5 lakh more than the diesel version, he added.

As per the manufacturer, the CNG based bus gives more mileage as compared to diesel. Moreover, CNG is considered to be a cleaner and cheaper alternative to petrol and diesel which cause heavy air pollution. However, bus’ owners said that they could not confirm this yet.

Santhosh Poojari who drove the bus on its first journey said it was a smooth and enjoyable ride.

The bus comes with an 80 kg tank. But, filling the gas tanks has been a cause of concern for the operators. There are only 3 CNG refilling stations  — at Kolnad, Kavoor and Hosabettu — in operation. All these stations don’t fall on the route the bus operates, the owners said.

Meanwhile, several owners have expressed their interest in buying CNG buses for their eco-friendliness, better mileage and lower fuel costs.