AG&P Pratham opens the first CNG station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Jodhpur: AG&P, the global downstream LNG and gas logistics company, today announced the launch of its first Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station in Jodhpur (Rajasthan), under its brand AG&P Pratham. In line with the Government’s vision of transforming India into a gas-based economy, the AG&P Pratham CNG station, co-located with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at COCO Bhagat Ki Kothi, Main Basni Road, near Diesel Loco Shed, gives vehicle owners access to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), an inexpensive, safe and clean alternative to the traditional costly and heavy polluting fuels such as diesel and petrol.

Offering superior fuel-efficiency, significantly improved mileage and a reduction in maintenance costs to generate considerable saving, CNG has rapidly emerged as the fuel of choice for vehicle-owners. CNG can be used in almost any vehicle, including cars, auto-rickshaws and heavy-duty transit vehicles such as buses and trucks. CNG is also safer than traditional fuels, with the strongest safety record, because it is non-toxic and lighter than air, enabling it to evaporate into the atmosphere and reducing the risk of fire.

Speaking at the inauguration of the CNG station, Manish Goswami, Chief Operations Officer, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh and Head, Technical Services, AG&P said:

“We are honored to launch AG&P Pratham’s first CNG station in Jodhpur, the first of the seven more to come within this year alone. We will be expanding our network of CNG stations by nine more stations in 2021, of which two stations will be wholly-owned by AG&P Pratham. We would like to sincerely thank our partners at IOCL and the local authorities for their support in helping us bring this important energy infrastructure for the people of Jodhpur. We expect to see an increasing and accelerated switch to CNG-fueled vehicles and create a healthier environment for our families.”

AG&P Pratham will launch seven more CNG stations through November and December, 2020, of which:

· Two will be co-located with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation at Lal Sagar Road and Main Pal Road;

· One will be at Salawas;

· One will be co-located with IOCL at Mandore;

· Three will be co-located with BPCL at Soor Sagar, Saraswati Nagar and Jaljog Circle

The rapid development of CNG stations across Jodhpur will provide the opportunity for drivers and vehicle owners to generate higher savings and significantly grow their earnings. In areas where CNG is already available, auto-rickshaw drivers and taxi and car rental owners, for both AC and non-AC car models, have reported up to a 55% increase in their savings after switching from petrol to CNG-fueled vehicles, along with an increase in their earning.

Petrol costs INR 80-90 per liter and gives a mileage of 15 Km per liter. CNG prices range from INR 50-60 per kg. A CNG-fueled car can run up to 20 km per kg, offering 30% more mileage versus petrol cars. Coupled with the savings on daily refueling and the lower maintenance costs, this results in weekly savings of approximately INR 2,000-3,000 for vehicle owners. The lower operating costs of a CNG vehicle compared to a petrol or a diesel one, allows auto-rickshaw drivers and car rental owners, to offer lower rent to their passengers and increase the volume of their customers. AG&P Pratham offers compelling economics to vehicle owners to make the switch to a CNG-fueled vehicle and benefit from increase in savings and/or profits with this safer and clean fuel.