New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit has said that given the infrastructural constraints that Delhi is facing, the development of an efficient public transport system will be the key to solving the citys transport and pollution problems.

Dikshit was the chief guest at a seminar and panel discussion on Alternative Energy Driven Vehicles on the occasion of the 6^th Auto Expo 2002, organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) here.

"The automobile industry in India will have a significant role in the development of such a state-of-the-art public transport system," she said. About the issue of an alternative fuel to petrol and diesel, she said the fuel should be environment-friendly, safe and abundantly available. "The economic utilisation of all available fuel alternatives is of utmost importance."

Non-conventional Energy Sources (State) Minister M Kannappan in his address said: "Since the transport sector is the largest single consumer of oil, the promotion of alternative energy-driven vehicles is imperative not only for the conservation of environment but also for a reduction in the countrys crude oil imports."

Elucidating the steps taken by the government to promote alternative fuels, he said his ministry has set up a broad-based R&D programme for the development of alternative fuel-driven vehicles. "Electricity, hydrogen and fuel cell are some of the alternative fuels that the government is considering."

"The constraints of battery-powered vehicles are the high costs involved and their limited range. The government is making efforts to overcome these constraints at their research centres. India can also learn from countries like Japan that are already using these technologies for a wide number of applications. The Indian auto industry should launch programmes for market development and a wider acceptance of alternative energy-driven vehicles in India. It should also work in tandem with the government to make India a world leader in this area," he said.

Heavy industries and public enterprises secretary Ravindra Gupta said that in addition to the development of an alternative fuel there is also a need to address the issue of the rapid increase in the number of vehicles plying on the roads of Delhi. "To encourage the development of alternative fuels it is necessary to upgrade the existing testing facilities and ensure a constant and adequate flow of funds. Fleet modernisation by both public and private transport operators is the need of the hour and the government should provide adequate incentives to speed up the process."

SIAM president R Sheshasayee in his welcome address said any alternative fuel will have to fulfill three prerequisites. "First, there needs to be a mandate for the usage of alternative fuel or in the absence of a mandate there needs to be adequate incentives so that the alternative fuel-powered vehicles could compete with the conventional vehicles. The second prerequisite is the need for a properly-developed technological system that would facilitate the safe and affordable usage of the alternative fuel. The third and one of the most important prerequisite will be the adequate availability of the fuel."

A unique feature of the seminar was the singing of a memorandum of understanding between the Delhi Transport Corporation, SIAM and NAFTC for setting up a national alternative fuel-training institute. After signing the MoU, SIAM vice-president Jagdish Khattar said it is imperative to develop both the private and public transport systems in an integrated manner.