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Union Minister Puri Inaugurates Varanasi's Second Floating CNG Station

The new CNG station at Ravidas Ghat offers convenience to boatmen, eliminating the need to travel to NaMo Ghat for refueling.

November 27, 2023. By Abha Rustagi

In a move towards a pollution-free Varanasi, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, inaugurated the city's second floating Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Mobile Refueling Unit (MRU) station at Ravidas Ghat.

Developed by GAIL (India) Limited, this initiative marks a significant step in promoting cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions for the Ganga.

Varanasi now boasts two operational floating CNG stations, strategically positioned on both sides of the main Ghats, thanks to GAIL's efforts. The project costs approximately INR 17.5 crore.

The new CNG station at Ravidas Ghat offers convenience to boatmen, eliminating the need to travel to NaMo Ghat for refueling. Minister Puri emphasized the potential savings for boatmen and stated, “On an average, it is estimated that each boatman can potentially save over INR 36,000 per year by using CNG as fuel.”

The transition from old and less efficient petrol and diesel engines to new CNG engines brings about improved fuel efficiency, contributing to a reduction in pollution in the Ganga and its surroundings. GAIL's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative has facilitated the conversion of 735 boats to CNG, out of 890 registered with Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN).

The new CNG Mobile Refueling Unit (MRU) at Ravidas Ghat, a first-of-its-kind globally, fills CNG in cascades from Namo Ghat and transports it via waterways for fueling boats. It has a capacity of 4,000 kg/day, catering to 300 to 400 boats daily.

GAIL has invested over Rs 350 crore in creating City Gas Distribution (CGD) infrastructure in Varanasi. The Varanasi CGD project is part of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2018.

Tags:

Sustainable Transport

CNG

Hardeep Singh Puri

Petroleum and Natural Gas

Compressed natural gas

GAIL