With the aim of controlling the increasing pollution levels in the capital city, the Government will launch a pilot programme to retrofit two-wheelers with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) kits. Called ‘Hawa Badlo’, this programme will be launched at the CGO Complex CNG station today.
This programme is an initiative of India's largest CNG distribution company - Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) and Gas Authority Limited (GAIL). IGL has already retrofitted 50 two-wheelers with CNG kits to showcase the feasibility of this programme, which will be shown at the launch event today. The project will be run on a pilot basis and target everyday two-wheeler users. The CNG kits have been approved by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), and have been proven to reduce hydrocarbon emission by 75 per cent. The conversion also reduces carbon monoxide emissions by 20 per cent as compared to regular petrol-powered counterparts.
This programme follows the footsteps of the NGT Diesel ban, wherein the government implemented a ban on the registrations for diesel vehicles in Delhi, with engine capacities exceeding 2000cc. Given the government’s recent preferential treatment towards environment-friendly mobility solutions, IGL has set up 70 new CNG re-fuelling facilities in the last four months, while 20 more are in the pipeline.
