India, May 10 -- Maharashtra's transport department will only purchase hybrid fuel buses from next year, which will operate on a combination of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified natural gas (LNG) and diesel.

According to state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will procure 20,000 hybrid buses over four years starting 2026, with the twin objectives of reducing pollution and fuel expenditures. The decision was taken in a transport department meeting held on Friday.

As of now, all state transport (ST) buses run on diesel, which accounts for 34% of MSRTC's total annual expenditure. ST buses consume 1.07 million litres of diesel annually, costing MSRTC Rs.34,000 crore.

The sw...