Road Transport Ministry has taken initiative for alternative fuels: Gadkari

Chennai, Feb 16 (PTI): The Road Transport Ministry hastaken the initiative to explore alternative fuels like lithiumion batteries and hydrogen cells for electric vehicles in thewake of increasing fuel prices, union minister Nitin Gadkarisaid here on Tuesday.

Also on the anvil were aluminium-ion and steel-ionbatteries, he told reporters after inaugurating a leathercluster at the Central Leather Research Institute here.

''My suggestion is that this is the time for the countryto go in for alternative fuels.

I am already propagating electricity as a fuel sinceIndia is surplus in electricity and now 81 per cent oflithium-ion batteries are made in India,'' he said.

The ministry was also engaged in developing hydrogen fuelcells, he said.

''We are working more on alternatives for fossil fuel(since it) is the most important thing for the country.

Presently, we import Rs 8 lakh crore of fossil fuel.

The problem is that in the world market, the price offossil fuel has increased and 70 per cent of the fossil fuelis imported in India'', he said.

Gadkari said he recently launched a bio-CNG run tractorand noted that this fuel can be made from cotton straw, ricestraw and bagasse.

''We need to expedite the alternate fuel industry andTamil Nadu is an important state in agriculture.

I request the State government to encourage making offuel from agricultural fields and give opportunity to farmersto get more revenue from that'', he said.

Gadkari replied in the negative when asked whether therewould be a further extension of the deadline to allow peopleto fix FASTtag on their vehicles.

''No extension'' he said.

The mandatory use of pasting FASTag in automobiles passingthrough toll plazas on highways came into force from Tuesday, FASTag is a prepaid tag that enables automatic deductionof toll charges and allows vehicles to pass through tollplazas without stopping for cash transactions.

The Centre had announced that February 15 would be thelast day for fixing of FASTag on the vehicles to pay at tollplazas, instead of making cashing payments.

On the proposed Bengaluru-Chennai highway, he said theprocess of land acquisition for it had already been completedand hoped it would be an 'economic corridor' between Karnatakaand Tamil Nadu.

''Within a month we will make the foundation (stonelaying) ceremony.

We will request the Prime Minister (to take part) andalso discuss with the Chief Minister to fix the date (for theceremony)'', he said.