Gujarat Cuts Pilot Vehicles, Saves 5,000 km Fuel in 2 Days

Ahead of the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the decline in pilot vehicle deployments had already resulted in significant savings in fuel usage and manpower, as "the state administration intensified efforts to curb unnecessary movement".

"Overall, there has been a reduction of 126 calls in two days," Sanghavi said while responding to questions on the impact of the new measures.

He said that even by conservative estimates, the reduction could translate into savings of around 5,000 kilometres of petrol and diesel consumption.

"If we take an average of 25 to 50 kilometres for each call, then at least 5,000 kilometres worth of diesel and petrol will be saved," he said, adding that a formal report on the savings was being prepared.

Sanghavi also noted that each pilot vehicle deployment involved personnel who could now be reassigned to other duties.

"In one pilot arrangement there are three people. Those individuals can now be used for other arrangements," he said.

The state government's actions follow PM Modi's recent public appeal urging citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, use mass transportation, adopt carpooling and shift more meetings online where possible.

Since the appeal, several changes have been introduced in Gujarat's administrative functioning.

Ministers have curtailed convoy sizes, meetings involving participants from outside Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar are being discouraged, and departments have been advised to hold virtual meetings wherever practical.

Sanghavi said special emphasis had been placed on reducing unnecessary travel to Gandhinagar. "People coming from distant cities have been restricted from travelling unnecessarily if meetings can be managed virtually or otherwise," he said.

The state government has also promoted carpooling among officials travelling between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar and expanded arrangements for public transport usage across urban centres.

Across the country, several leaders have adopted similar austerity measures after PM Modi's remarks.

The Prime Minister has reduced the size of his own convoy, while Union ministers and chief ministers in BJP-ruled states have announced cuts in vehicle usage and increased reliance on Electric Vehicles and public transport.

- IANS