With trial runs on from May 1, the station will become fully operational by May 10 and will fuel 400 PMPML buses. Managing Director of MNGL Shyam Sunder said the station will cater to the city’s CNG requirements; the other main stations are in Pimpri-Chinchwad area. With 6,500 autorickshaws already availing of the CNG facility from Chikhali-Moshi and Sant Tukaram Nagar depots of PMPML in Pimpri, the third one will be for Pune and will cater to nearly 40,000 autorickshaws.

The station will have two CNG compressors of 1,200 standard cubic metres per hour capacity taking the total installed capacity to 48,000 kg per day. With the Chikhali station already having a capacity of 60,000 kg per day and the one at Sant Tukaram Nagar 25,000 kg per day, the total installed CNG capacity in Pune would be 1.33 lakh kg per day.

The laying of pipeline in different parts of the city is in progress with the twin purpose of ensuring sufficient supply to CNG retail outlets areas and serving housing societies with piped gas connections. “We are working on piped natural gas supply to housing societies in Pune,” he said. Piped natural gas from the Shivajinagar station will be made available to housing societies from June and the first society to get the connection will be Kohinoor Estate at Wakdewadi, Sunder said.

Meanwhile, the PMPML is happy that many buses in its fleet can now get the fuel at the city CNG station.

“This station will definitely cut short the distances that buses ply for refuelling,” he said. Baban Yadav, a rickshaw driver who has recently installed a CNG kit, said the main station will help people like him.

* Operational by May 10

* To fuel 400 PMPML buses

* To cater to 40,000 autos

* Other facilities at Chikhali-Moshi, Sant Tukaram Nagar depots of PMPML in Pimpri