Hyderabad: Bhagyanagar Gas Limited (BGL) is all set to come up with more Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations in the city. Encouraging the usage of eco-friendly vehicles and catering to the needs of motorists who wish to opt the cleaner fuel

With the success of existing stations, BGL is geared up to launch 20 new CNG stations within Greater Hyderabad region by March-end. The new filling stations in which BGL will be distributing CNG will be located at Bachupally, Financial District, Batasingaram, Gachibowli, Serilingampally, Yousufguda, and Moosapet among others.

A joint venture of the Gas Authority of India Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, BGL has a total of 80 such stations which are operated by HPCL, IOCL, and BPCL and the new ones make the total number of stations to 100. According to officials, initially, these oil and gas companies provide land, and BGL would set up the required infrastructure and distributes the gas. Today, BGL is in the stage of distributing around 1 lakh kg of CNG in the city every day.

Rajeev Garg, Managing Director, BGL said that amid soaring fuel prices, there has been a demand for eco-friendly vehicles in Hyderabad, and accordingly, more CNG filling stations were being launched in the city. “Since fuel prices are becoming high for running a four-wheeler and four-wheeler, CNG would be a great help in reducing operating costs up to 40 percent as compared to petrol and diesel engines,” he said.

Each station would supply around 1,000 kg to 1,500 kg of CNG daily. At present, over 50,000 vehicles that run with CNG are plying on the city roads and use the gas from BGL stations. Apart from cars, auto-rickshaws, and other commercial vehicles, TSRTC too is operating 130 CNG buses in the city.

The cost of CNG per kg is Rs 64, which is Rs 30 cheaper than petrol and Rs 24 less than diesel. These days, auto manufacturers are making bi-fuel vehicles on the request of owners and can be driven on petrol/ diesel as well as CNG.