INVC,,
Mumbai,,
Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Mr.Murli Deora today flagged off a “CNG Eco-Drive” car rally in Mumbai, which may revolutionize inter-city travel in the days to come. In a first of its kind event, over 40 cars were flagged off from the Bandra-Kurla Complex Exhibition grounds , which left for their final destination at Chakali in Chinchwad, Pune. These cars are entirely Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) driven, and if need be, they can refill at the CNG station in Panvel. Today’s event was also attended by the Union Minister of State for Communication & IT Shri Gurudas Kamat, Members of Parliament Smt. Priya Dutt and Shri Sanjay Nirupam and other dignitaries.
Speaking at the flagging off function, the Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Mr. Murli Deora said “natural Gas is the fuel of 21st Century and is seen as accelerator of economic growth.” He said “ the Government is firmly committed to making natural gas available across the country. A network of pipelines for transportation of natural gas is being laid across the length & breadth of the country to reach natural gas in areas which have not been able to reap the benefit of this clean and cheap fuel.”
Mr. Deora hoped that The CNG Eco Drive 2010 would further popularize the use of CNG as a transport fuel in Mumbai and also help to promote its usage along the highways, specially on the Mumbai-Pune route. He congratulated Mumbaikars for their over whelming response to Eco-Drive Movement.
Petroleum Minister underscored the expanding CNG use in vehicle. Shri Deora informed that today, CNG system has been implemented in 42 cities in the country with 23 entities supplying CNG to approximately 1.1 Million vehicles including about 23,000 buses and approx. 1.08 million cars and other small vehicles.
The CNG Eco Drive supported by Gas Authority of India Ltd(GAIL), Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL), Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) is a precursor to the NGV (Natural Gas for Vehicles) 2010 Conference and Exhibition to be held in Mumbai from 24 to 26 November 2010. NGV is the world’s largest Exhibition and Conference and NGV India 2010 in Mumbai is expected to be the biggest among these. The Conference would focus on Natural Gas, the fuel of 21st Century. Latest technologies to promote use of natural gas would be displayed.
Shri Deora recalled that almost 35 years back as Mayor of Mumbai, he had first discussed the matter of supply of Natural Gas in Mumbai with Shri N.B. Prasad, former Chairman, ONGC. Today He said, “that idea has became a reality with conversion of entire public transport vehicles to CNG and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) flowing into the kitchens of more than 3.5 Lakhs homes like water.”
He added that was indeed personally gratifying for him to see the growth in the use of CNG in Mumbai. It is for everybody to see the positive impact on the environment of the city. “This facility is being extended for inter city and highway movement, which would further improve the environment. I see today’s event as yet another milestone in our journey to provide clean fuel in Mumbai and the country as a whole,” Shri Deora stressed
![The Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Murli Deora flagging off the First Intercity (Mumbai-Panvel-Pune) CNG ECO drive, at a function, in Mumbai on November 13, 2010. The Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Murli Deora flagging off the First Intercity (Mumbai-Panvel-Pune) CNG ECO drive, at a function, in Mumbai on November 13, 2010.](https://internationalnewsandviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/131-300x194.jpg)