Bus operators to seek more time

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 25. The Delhi Contract Bus Association today said it will request the Supreme Court for phase-wise implementation of conversion of commercial vehicles from diesel to CNG. Under the present circumstances it was ``nearly impossible'' to do so from April 1, it said.

Addressing a press conference here, the Association general secretary, Mr. Harish Sabharwal, said it will also urge the Apex Court to direct the manufacturers to come with new CNG engines and chasis as has been done in the case of autos and taxis manufacturers.

``We will also request the Supreme Court to direct both the Union and Delhi Governments to waive sales tax and excise duty on CNG vehicles and engines as the private operators are in deep financial trouble,'' he said.

Mr. Sabharwal said they will request the Supreme Court to reconsider and review its direction or modify it and allow Euro- II norms as has been done in the case of 27 lakh of the estimated 30 lakhs vehicles in the Capital. Of these only 27,000 are diesel buses for which this new technology is to be introduced, he said.

Pleading that conversion to CNG fuel be done in phases, the Association said in the first phase it should be done for the Delhi Transport Corporation fleet, followed by private buses under DTC KM Scheme, Blueline and Whiteline buses, Old STA buses and finally the contract carriages and tourist buses.

It alleged that the Delhi Government had failed to introduce and approve any agency or manufacturers capable of converting the existing diesel buses to the CNG fuel mode. ``It also did not take any step to impose any restriction on the non-registration of diesel buses for the period beyond March 31,'' he said.

Commenting on the availability of CNG, Mr. Sabharwal said the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) had not only ``miserably failed'' in expanding the 80 CNG outlets in the Capital by March 31, 2000, but has also not been able to do so despite another year of extension.

He said even the leading manufacturers like TELCO and Ashok Leyland could neither provide CNG conversion kits nor new engines during this two-year period. Not only this, the agencies and companies claiming to be capable of converting the existing diesel buses to CNG fuel mode have failed to satisfying private bus operators.

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