Bangalore: BMTC floated a tender last Tuesday calling to procure 271 non air-conditioned CNG buses as per UBS-II norms under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) scheme at a cost of Rs. 176.15 crore.

The infrastructure however is not ready. BMTC has plans to set up four CNG filling stations besides the main tap off point at Agara in HSR Layout where it has given 225 sq m of land to GAIL on lease for 25 years. CNG filling stations are going to come up at Peenya, Yelahanka, Hennur, and Sumanahalli at the junction of Magadi Road and Ring Road.

According to a source in BMTC, the infrastructure could take up to two years to materialise as the Gas Authority of India (GAIL) has to do the feasibility study for setting up of the CNG filling stations. And, it is awaiting guidelines from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PnGRB) for setting up of CNG filling stations, which PnGRB might take at least a year to issue.