Maruti Omni was the first to be registered as taxis with the CNG facility. Four of them can already be seen operating on Delhi roads. Contessas and trekkers are also being fitted with the same kit to serve as commercial-run vehicles.

Compressed Natural Gas is an eco-friendly fuel, which does away with noxious emissions. It increases spark-plug life, there is no lead content in it and the car runs as smoothly and noiselessly as on petrol.

The decision to go in for CNG technology was spurred by a Supreme Court order banning all 15-year-old commercial vehicles. Around 17,500 vehicles come in this category and of these 1,652 were black and yellow taxis.

Talks are already on to ban the registration of diesel-run commercial vehicles in the city. Also, the Supreme Court order had said that all pre-1990 vehicles will have to be replaced with new vehicles running on clean fuels, the order will become effective on March 21, 2000.

CNG is being seen as an ideal new fuel for commercial vehicles, because even though it increases the cost of the vehicle by Rs 30,000, it costs only 80 paise per kilometre, as compared to nearly Rs 2.3 for petrol and 0.90 for diesel. As a result, the vehicle-owner can recover the cost in 30,000 km.

Though the government with the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) had promised 70 CNG stations, by July-end, these Ambassadors are dual-fuel vehicles and can switch to petrol with the press of a button. Along with the registration of the five-seater van for use as a black and yellow cab, the State Transport Authority has also approved the registration of the Maruti 800 car for use as a black and yellow cab.

Both the companies and the government are offering incentives for these CNG-run vehicles. The Omni five seater-van normally retails at Rs 1,98,029 (ex-showroom-Delhi). But with the excise duty for taxis being lower by 15 per cent, the effective price becomes Rs 1,76,864. A further exemption of 8 per cent (local sales tax) and a 4 per cent subsidy in interest rate has been offered by the Delhi government to the 1,652 taxi operators seeking a replacement for their taxis.

Maruti Udyog Limited is also offering a special incentive which means that the Omni will cost only Rs 1,59,155 for replacement buyers. Even for non-replacement buyers, the Omni van is going to be an option at an ownership cost of Rs 1,76,864.

The Ambassador 1500 with dedicated CNG engine is being offered at Rs 3,15,588 whereas the bi-fuel model is being offered at Rs 3,72,943.