Scripting a new chapter in the country’s transport sector which moves towards clean fuel, India’s first liquefied natural gas-driven bus was launched .

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan jointly flagged off the first pilot run of the eco-friendly bus on the sidelines of the fourth meeting of the Group of Ministers, set up by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

• The LNG-driven bus was rolled out as part of the Centre’s plans to use LNG, considered to be a cleaner and safer fuel which emits 50 per cent less carbon, for mass transportation.
• It has been a joint effort of Petronet LNG Limited (PLL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Tata Motors Ltd to introduce LNG as a fuel in commercial vehicles in the state capital.
• The LNG pipeline was one the major topics of discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan during the latter’s first New Delhi visit after taking charge as Kerala Chief Minister, the minister said.

• On Kerala’s natural gas expansion plans, Pradhan said IOC planned to set up five CNG stations at Ernakulum by March 2017 and would provide Piped Natural Gas to 4000 households. The PNG connections would increase to 41,000 by 2020.