LAHORE, Dec 24: The Punjab government will give route permits to only CNG buses and four-stroke auto-rickshaws initially in four major cities in the province. The cities are Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad.

It will help the owners of diesel buses for conversion to CNG and the rickshaws to install four-stroke engines during the next three years. Those not willing to do so will be helped in buying new CNG buses and four-stroke rickshaws, sending their existing diesel and two-stroke vehicles to cities and towns where there are not much transportation facilities.

A decision to this effect was taken by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi while presiding over a meeting here on Friday. He said the government would give interest-free loans to the owners of two-stroke rickshaws for installing four-stroke engines.

The owners of diesel buses would be required to convert their vehicles to CNG within the next three years. He said a green fund was being created in the planning and development department for issuing grants and interest-free loans to the owners of rickshaws and diesel buses.

The chief minister said the use of CNG would not only improve environment, but also lower the fare of transport in the province. He directed Planning and Development chairman Salman Ghani and officials of the departments concerned to form a comprehensive policy in this regard. The transport secretary briefed the meeting on the hazards of diesel buses and two-stroke auto-rickshaws.