Govt launches pilot for CNG-fuelled 2-wheelers

India on Thursday launched a pilot project aimed at introducing compressed natural gas (CNG) as fuel for two-wheelers. The pilot, launched by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar here, uses CNG-retrofitted two wheelers and aims at cutting down the rising pollution levels in cities.

"The government is promoting the use of gas in the country to fulfil COP-21 commitments to curb pollution. The gas share in the country's fuel basket is only seven per cent compared to the world average of around 24 per cent. The pilot will be expanded after evaluating its experience," Pradhan said.

The project, nick-named "Hawa Badlo", is being implemented by Delhi's city gas distributor Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) and its parent firm, GAIL (India), and involves 50 CNG-retrofitted two-wheelers. The first batch of 10 two-wheelers was flagged off on Thursday. "The introduction of CNG in two-wheeler segment has the capacity to revolutionise the fight against air pollution," the petroleum ministry stated.

The scooters have been retrofitted with CNG kits manufactured by Ituk Manufacturing India Pvt Ltd, an arm of Iranian firm Ituk Manufacturing. The hydrocarbon emission from CNG retrofitted two-wheelers is 75 per cent lesser and carbon emission is 20 per cent lesser as compared to the petrol-driven models, the ministry claimed.

Each CNG kit comprises two CNG cylinders of 4.8 litre water capacity each, which can be filled with up to 1 kg of CNG. These CNG retrofitted two-wheelers can drive up to 120 kilometres in a single fill and are expected to be economical as compared to a similar petrol-run vehicle at the current level of prices, according to the kit manufacturer.