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Unlike the ordinary PMPML buses, these buses have a different combination of white, yellow, green and red colors on its body

THE moment you see this bus (MH-43/204C), remember you are seeing a part of Pune's history. This is the first among the six CNG buses that arrived in the city, especially for the Commonwealth Youth Games.

These buses will run during CYG at the Balewadi Sports Complex. A total of 35 such buses are expected to be in the city before the event commences on October 12.

The 43-seater bus looks like ordinary PMPML buses, but has a different combination of white, yellow, green and red colors on its body.

Non-Polluting CNG Vehicles and See Green See Life are the messages  written on the bus.

The CNG kit was fitted at Bangalore, informed by Vasant Pawar the first CNG bus driver. Pawar underwent a special training to run a CNG bus in Mumbai.

"A total of 50 PMPML drivers are undergoing similar training," he said.

All 35 buses will ply on the huge campus of Balewadi Sports Complex, PMPML managing director Subbarao Patil revealed. "We have asked for 50 such buses," he said.

A retrofitted CNG kit costs 3 lakhs, and many such kits which will be installed, will certainly help in reducing the pollution level in the city.

Maharastra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL), which has been entrusted in the supply of CNG, is sure that the green fuel would be available before CYG. Actually, the MNGL plan is to provide CNG at its station at the Sant Tukaram Nagar depot of the PMPML in Pimpri.

"After Mumbai, Pune will be the second city in the state to have CNG run vehicles," he said.