The Sariska Tiger Reserve may soon see CNG buses, after repeated attempts to launch electric bus services failed to attract operators, officials said.
Despite issuing tenders twice and extending deadlines multiple times, no company bid to run the service. The state forest department plans to seek permission from the Supreme Court to operate CNG buses, which are also considered an environmentally friendly alternative.
“In a recent meeting, it was discussed to explore alternative options and request the Hon’ble Supreme Court for CNG operations. The proposal will be presented in the next hearing,” a forest officer said.
The push for electric e after ta foresthe Supreme Court’s December deadline for reducing vehicular pollution in the reserve. The court had mandated EV operations to protect the ecological sensitivity of Sariska, the only tiger habitat in the National Capital Region.
Rajasthan Roadways was tasked with issuing tenders, but operators cited the twice-weekly schedule—Tuesdays and Saturdays—as financially unviable. Sariska spans 800 sq km and sees heavy traffic from devotees visiting temples, including the Pandupol Temple, 22 km inside the core zone.
Under the proposed system, visitors would park vehicles at the reserve office and use either electric or CNG buses to reach the temple.
Click Here to get the latest EV news and exclusive updates from EV Mechanica on WhatsApp!