PESHAWAR, Nov 25: A plan for large-scale use of CNG buses in the metropolis by January seems to be in the doldrums.

Although the City Nazim, Haji Ghulam Ali, had given in October a three-month deadline to the contractor for bringing the buses on the road by early next year, even the initial work is yet to be undertaken.

According to officials of the city district government, the nazim had inaugurated a CNG bus in October and had signed an agreement with a transport company, Gul and Company, to bring CNG buses by January 2008.

The nazim confirmed that CNG buses were to be brought out on the roads by January. An officer of the Gul and Co told Dawn, on the condition of anonymity, that no agreement had been signed with any of the manufacturing companies. However, negotiations were going on in this connection.

Sajid Khan Jadoon, a senior government official, said the owners of mini-buses had demanded of the authorities to provide them a grant for converting diesel engines into CNG ones.