Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

CNG-run buses on more routes soon

PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

Eco-friendly: APSRTC Executive Director U. Sudhakar Rao takes a look at the filling of CNG into a bus at the Bhagyanagar Gas Limited filling station at Vidyadharapuram depot in the city on Saturday. —

VIJAYAWADA: Encouraged by the performance of CNG-run buses in the city in terms of their operational efficiency and savings, the APSRTC has decided to operate these buses to various destinations within Krishna district and outside with Vijayawada as base.

The buses would be operated to places like Gudivada, Tiruvuru, Nuzvid, Avanigadda and Guntur within three to four months, said APSRTC Executive Director (Engineering & Information Technology) U. Sudhakar Rao on Saturday. The total number of CNG-run buses in the city would be capped at 100, after adding another six to the existing 94.

Speaking to reporters after giving away efficiency awards to drivers and conductors of CNG-run buses at Vidyadharapuram depot, Mr. Rao said the only problem in operating CNG-run buses in Hyderabad or between Vijayawada and other long-distance places was the large variance in the cost of the fuel. While a kg of CNG in Vijayawada costs Rs. 21.32, it costs Rs.33 to Rs.34 in Hyderabad.

This was because of the cost of transportation of the fuel in caskets. CNG was now being brought in caskets from the base station at Nainavaram and filled into the buses in Vidyadharapuram depot. The APSRTC would be able to operate CNG-run buses to longer distances only when the pipeline to Hyderabad, being laid by the Bhagyanagar Gas Limited (BGL) was ready, he said.

Mr. Rao hinted at gradually inducting more ‘Luxura’ buses of Ashok Leyland in preference to Volvo coaches because of the former’s operational efficiency and cost advantage.

“A Luxura bus costs about Rs.55 lakhs or even less, which is about Rs.10 lakhs less than the price of a Volvo coach,” he pointed out. Another five ‘Luxura’ buses, in addition to the recently inducted five, would be added to the fleet of the corporation.

Ashok Leyland Chief Operating Officer Vinod K. Dasari said ‘Luxura’ was a 12-metre-long luxury coach with a seating capacity of 45 and powered by a 260 HP engine. He lauded the staff of Vidyadharapuram depot, which now stood number one in the country in achieving high efficiency in maintaining CNG-run buses.

Mr. Rao disclosed that the corporation would be introducing ‘anywhere booking’ and internet ticketing in a couple of months, as the networking of important bus stations was nearing completion.

Among the 49 terminals of the corporation, 10 important ones would be networked in the first phase. Terminals located at Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Khammam, Chilakaluripet, Guntur and Anantapur had already been networked, while those at Chennai, Bangalore, Vijayawada and Hyderabad would be networked by August 20.

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