THE Myanmar Industrial Development Committee has granted permission to private sector companies at industrial zones to import kits for converting vehicles to run on compressed natural gas, said an official from Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise.

U Ko Lay, the executive engineer of the Natural Gas Vehicle Conversion and Maintenance Section at the enterprise, said the decision was aimed at accelerating the pace of conversions, which are aimed at reducing reliance on imported fuel.

He said that before the decision took effect on November 18, the kits had been imported by the enterprise and the Ministry of Industry (2).

U Ko Lay said the enterprise was continuing to conduct safety checks on vehicles after the kits were installed.

Of the 18 workshops in Yangon permitted to install the kits and carry out repairs to CNG-powered vehicles, 13 are operated by the private sector and the rest by the enterprise and the ministry.

“It is dangerous for the owners of CNG vehicles to repair them at workshops which are not certified for conversions,” said U Ko Lay. This was because precise work was needed for conversions or repairs, he said.

Figures released by the enterprise on December 12 show that 4764 vehicles have been converted to run on CNG.

Meanwhile, another two CNG filling stations opened in Yangon in December, bringing the total in the capital to 16.