Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and MSMEs, inaugurated the city’s first LNG-to-CNG mother station RawMatt CNG Pump, near Automotive Square, Mouja Wanjari, Ring Road, on Friday.

Nanda Jichkar, Mayor; Jitendra alias Bunty Kukde, Chairman of Transport Committee of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC); the officials of RawMatt Industries Pvt Ltd, NMC, and InoxCVA, PetroNet also were present on the occasion.

After pressing the button to inaugurate the first pump that will convert liquefied natural gas (LNG) to compressed natural gas (CNG), Gadkari addressed the gathering. He said that CNG was an import-substitute, cost-effective and eco-friendly fuel. “It saves a huge money as compared to diesel. CNG will be useful for trucks and buses in the region, and will definitely reduce pollution,” he said. He appreciated Kukde for his support to the initiative.

According to Gadkari, NMC was incurring losses to the tune of Rs 7 crore while operating city buses. “Within a year, the losses will be reduced with the use of CNG. Also, I have suggested to NMC to convert around 100-150 cars used by office-bearers and officers, and trucks into CNG-fuelled ones. It will result in huge savings for the civic body,” he said. He urged the officials of the company operating the LNG-to-CNG mother station to start kit conversion centres in all directions of the city so as to encourage more number of people to convert their vehicles from diesel to CNG-fuelled ones. Within three months, 300 city buses will run on CNG, he added.