The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Will LPG switchover bring down autorickshaw fares?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 18, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Will LPG switchover bring down autorickshaw fares?

Karthik Subramanian

Auto unions agree conversion will make for considerable savings

MORE MILEAGE: More and more petrol-driven autorickshaws will switch to LPG in the months ahead. — Photo: S.S.Kumar

CHENNAI : The State Government's order to petrol-driven autorickshaws to switch over to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will translate into considerable savings for autorickshaw drivers and a reduction in vehicular emissions.

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) will offer a Rs.2,000 subsidy on the LPG conversion kits.

But the question that city commuters are asking is whether the drivers will stick to the government-revised tariffs, at least after the switchover to LPG.

According to industry estimates, 1.1 litres of LPG offers the same mileage as a litre of petrol.

With one litre of LPG retailing at Rs.27.50 and a litre of petrol at Rs.47.50, the operational costs of autorickshaws fitted with LPG is much lesser than petrol-driven autorickshaws.

According to K.S. Ravi, an authorised stockist of Sagas LPG auto kits in Chindatripet, the conversion would yield greater mileage.

CITU Auto Drivers Union leader S. Thangam agrees. "It is going to be hard not to follow the revised tariff if the autorickshaws run on LPG. There is surely a lot of savings for the autorickshaw drivers." He said the State Transport Minister had discussed the issue earlier with all autorickshaw drivers unions and they had requested a subsidy — a demand the G.O. earlier this week addressed.

The LPG conversion kits cost between Rs. 11,500 for the locally assembled ones to Rs.21,000 for the factory assembled models. Private banks offer loans on the high-end models.

Dealers suggest that auto drivers should not choose the cheapest options available as some of them could be potentially dangerous.

Mr. Ravi said drivers should also get out of the mindset that only petrol-driven vehicles are comfortable.

There are currently 22 automobile LPG dispensing stations in and around the city. Their number is expected to go up before the end of the year.

Indian Oil Corporation proposes to open at least three stations within the next few months.

The GO said the move was a result of a Supreme Court order that called for nine cities in the country, including Chennai, to bring down levels of suspended particulate matter

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