Ethanol-run bus SCANIA'S

Ethanol-run bus spotted inside Gadkari sugar plant

NAGPUR: Just a day after the municipal commissioner received a proposal from the mayor on expediting the process to pilot run ethanol-based public transport bus in Nagpur, a TOI team found that the vehicle is already on the city's doorstep. Mounted on a trailer the Scania bus from Sweden was parked inside the Purti Power and Sugar Limited's plant in Bela village, about 40km from Nagpur.

Inquiries with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation drew a blank as none of its officials were aware of the bus being there. Mayor Anil Sole remained inaccessible while leader of BJP in the House Pravin Datke said he too had no idea about the Scania bus. Leader of opposition Vikas Thakre and AAP state convener Anjali Damania expressed shock.

Union surface transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, who had proposed ethanol-run buses to save fuel cost and restrict damage to environment, is the founder chairman of the sugar factory which comes under the umbrella Purti Group. It also runs two other sugar factories which produce ethanol. A detailed questionnaire mailed to Gadkari's office, twice, remained unanswered at the time of going to press.

On Tuesday TOI had reported quoting Sole's proposal that the bus was to be launched on August 9 in the presence of four Union ministers including Gadkari. The Swedish company had offered to operate and maintain four buses for the first three months after which the NMC's transport office would have taken it over.

Municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane has called for a meeting on Thursday with his senior officials to discuss Sole's proposal. The bus needs to be registered at the local RTO prior to which the Automotive Research Association of India has to give a technical go ahead.

Though Sole had said that the bus would arrive in the city in 2-3 days, TOI got a tip-off that it was already here. The fluorescent green bus was mounted on a truck-trailer (HR-47/C-117) and parked under the shade of a tree on the Purti plant premises. The word 'Scania' was boldly visible labelled on the bus's front.


"I have nothing to do with bus unless Scania company comes to NMC with it and holds meeting with the officials and office bearers," said BJP's Datke. "The bus will be launched only after all norms are followed," he added.

Damania, who had contested against Gadkari in the Lok Sabha elections, plans to meet PM Narendra Modi to "expose Gadkari". "Gadkari is a businessman. He works only for the benefit of his company Purti," she charged.

Indirectly taking a dig at Gadkari, Congress leader Thakre said the BJP is working for the interest of "only one person". "Earlier, the civic body allocated funds for the purchase of e-rickshaws and now it has come with the plan to run ethanol-run buses, which too is linked to the same person," he said.


The first Scandinavian commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania ethanol-fuelled bus from Stockholm secretly parked inside Gadkari-promoted Purti Power and Sugar Limited at Bela, 50 kms from Nagpur.

According to information available, Purti's Bela plant manufactures 1.25 lakh litre ethanol daily. Gadkari, who was the chairman of Purti Group till 2011, has always propagated the use of ethanol in public transport. The minister had also taken credit for the idea to produce ethanol at the Bela plant on his website (nitingadkari.org).

While assuming charge as minister on May 29, Gadkari had revealed about his plans to promote ethanol-friendly cars. He also made a public announcement about the ethanol-run bus in the city during a felicitation programme on July 13. 

Scania's Ethanol Run Low Floor City Bus

Scania's Low Floor Bus Interiors

Info Source : TOI
Pic Source : NAGPUR TIMES