According to data from motor vehicles department, there has been a rise in registration of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in Ernakulam district of Kerala, especially within city limits during Covid-19 pandemic. About thirty CNG vehicles have been registered in its Regional Transport Office limit until first week of November 2020, as compared to only five vehicles in 2019.
Besides, similar trends have been witnessed in Aluva, Mattancherry and Tripunithura in the state. In 2019, there were no CNG vehicles registered in Mattancherry and Tripunithura. However, they have registered a total of 21 CNG vehicles since relaxations in lockdown restrictions.
As reported, the surge in CNG vehicles has been due to the lower cost of fuel as compared diesel and petrol. Besides, many automobile companies have started launching CNG vehicles in the market. However, there is a shortage of CNG fuelling stations in the district. At present, there are only seven operational stations in Ernakulam of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited.