Auto-rickshaw drivers in Kolkata faced fresh fuel restrictions after oil marketing companies introduced rationing of auto LPG across dispensing stations from Saturday, capping refuelling at 10 litres per vehicle, following a steep price hike and an unprecedented five-fold surge in demand over the past week. An autorickshaw tank capacity is 20 litre.
At several outlets, supply shortages already began to affect operations. “Our station currently does not have any stock. But once supply arrives, each auto will be given only 10 litres at a time,” said the owner of an LPG dispensing station on Prince Anwar Shah Road.
Auto drivers said the cap was making daily operations difficult. “Ten litres is not enough if we have to make multiple trips or run longer hours,” said Abdul Rahman, an auto operator on the Garia-Tollygunge route. “We now have to stand in line twice a day, which means loss of time and income.”
Passengers said they were beginning to feel the impact. “It’s getting harder to find autos during peak hours,” said Anirban Modak, a commuter in Salt Lake. “Drivers are either waiting in fuel queues or limiting trips to save gas. Fares may go up next.”
Officials of oil marketing companies said the rationing had become necessary to stabilise supply and reduce long queues at fuel stations. “We have observed that most autos were refuelling up to 20 litres almost every day, which is their full tank capacity. This significantly increased both consumption and turnaround time at stations,” an OMC representative said. “Given that most autos in the city operate within 160-170 km daily, a 10-litre cap is sufficient based on average mileage of 16-17 km per litre.”
Officials from Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, which jointly operated around 20 auto-LPG stations in and around the city, said daily sales spiked to 47.6 tonnes on March 16 and 47.5 tonnes on March 17, up sharply from the January-February daily average of 10.4 tonnes.
Industry sources attributed the sudden spike in auto-LPG demand to a crackdown on the illegal “kaata gas” network, pilfered LPG from domestic cylinders, which many auto drivers previously relied on. With commercial LPG supplies tightening amid a broader energy crisis, diverted domestic gas was being redirected to commercial cylinders and sold at a premium, forcing drivers back to authorised auto-LPG pumps.
OMCs said discussions were ongoing with dealers and auto unions to manage the situation. “This is a temporary measure to ensure equitable distribution,” the official added.“
