Many autorickshaws yet to switch over to LPG

Many autorickshaws yet to switch over to LPG

The Hindu

There are only 26 gas dispensing outlets in the city and suburbs

Bangalore: The city has close to 90,000 autorickshaws, but only less than 50,000 have so far started using LPG as fuel.

Almost five years ago, the Karnataka High Court directed that all autorickshaws be run on gas to reduce pollution. The Government, which was to follow up with an order, extended the deadline several times. Around 30,000 autorickshaws, which have switched over to gas, still use the detachable gas cylinders weighing 5.5 kg that are not considered safe. Last year, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board tied up with a Canadian Government agency to design and provide a safer and less polluting gas kit. Like some similar projects earlier, it too did not increase the numbers of autorickshaws running on gas.

Autorickshaw drivers and their unions blame the situation on the shortage of gas dispensing outlets which are a meagre 26 in the entire city and its suburbs. Making it mandatory for three-wheelers to use LPG while the outlets are few and not always close by makes it impossible to give up petrol, most of them complain.

Long queue

They admit that each cylinder they now use lasts up to 100 km even under the city traffic conditions. Drivers also point out the fact there are always long lines of autorickshaws at the dispensing outlets which was cutting into their time and limiting their earnings. Since gas conversion kits cost between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 10,000 for the approved and certified models, drivers' unions have demanded higher subsidies and easy loans.

Autorickshaw drivers also allege that some mechanics pass off non-certified gas conversion kits as genuine ones and indulge in illegal diversion of gas from cylinders for domestic use. These may lead to leakages and accidents, they fear. Making provision for subsidised and safe kits and more gas cylinders for use in vehicles would help avert accidents, they said.

LPG would ignite fast and needed careful handling.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation has 11 gas retailing outlets, Indian Oil Corporation ten and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation five. IOC has plans to open five more outlets by March next.

The Delhi model of CNG for use in buses and autorickshaws has been suggested by environmental groups. That may take considerably more time, going by the slow progress in switching over of autorickshaws to LPG.