The Krishna region of the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has put in place a well-chalked out mechanism to augment services by putting to use the new CNG plant coming up at its Governorpet-II depot.
While the local RTC authorities insist that the new plant will be made operational in the next 10 days, representatives of the Bhagyanagar Gas India Ltd. (BGL), the gas supplying agency to the APSRTC, maintain that the project may further delay by an additional 10-15 days.
The BGL started building necessary infrastructure for the piped gas supply to the RTC at the Governorpet depot a couple of months ago.
The re-enforced cement concrete foundation, paving of the platforms, installation of booster unit and booster compressors, dispensers and pipeline works were completed as per schedule. Encouraged by the pace of work, the RTC is keen on bringing the new unit into operation in the next 10 days.
“The new unit will enable us to henceforth position our CNG-run buses at Governorpet,” A. Koteswara Rao, Regional Manager of the Corporation, told The Hindu on Tuesday.
The RTC can now shift all the diesel-run buses to the Vuyyuru depot, which was formally reopened a year ago but has been made fully operational only now.
With the arrival of 200 more CNG-run buses by March-end, the officials see no hurdle in shifting any number of buses to the new plant.
“Availability of all the 240 CNG-run buses for intra-city and inter-city services will help us rope in new patrons,” said an elated Mr. Rao.
Getting ready
While all seems to be set for operation of the new unit, a slight deviation in the cost estimation for power supply to the new plant apparently played spoilsport. “Because of this, the RTC may have to wait till March-end for commissioning of its new gas plant unit,” said R.B.S. Tomar, manager of the BGL project at Governorpet depot.
Meanwhile, works have also been launched for conversion of the Ibrahimpatnam depot into a CNG unit.
