Assam: 100 CNG buses to ply in Guwahati city from next year

Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) is all set to run Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from next year in Guwahati city.

As per reports, the CNG bus project will be implemented by the ASTC under the Guwahati Smart City Project.

Earlier, the state government had taken a policy decision to operate 100 CNG buses in Guwahati city and a tender for the same was floated.

Later, after the bidding buses, Tata Motors recently brought 68 CNG buses to the state while the remaining 32 vehicles will be delivered shortly.

These buses will run in a phased manner and for them, two filing stations have been set up for providing CNG to the new buses -- one at the ISBT at Betkuchi and the other one at Ulubari.

These buses have been brought into action in a bid to reduce pollution and to save money on purchasing considerably more expensive fuel.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said that electric buses and 100 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses would replace diesel-run city buses of Guwahati.

"Everyone is contributing to the process of reduction of carbon emission. This will be Assam's contribution towards the same," Sarma had said.

He also informed that the government has plans to replace all the city buses of the city with electric and CNG buses within one-year completion of his government.

While talking about the environment and ecology, Sarma also asserted that he supports the Centre's decision to make Northeast a Palm Oil producing hub under National Mission on Edible Oils.

"Prime Minister is very keen to make this project happen and I am certain it will not cause any ecological damage," he added.

Also read: Assam: 300 electric and CNG buses to replace diesel run buses in Guwahati