The Karnataka government will hold a high-level meeting on April 10 to address the ongoing shortage and disparity in LPG prices for autos, which have led to disruption of auto-rickshaw services across Bengaluru and other parts of the state.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister KH Muniyappa said on Monday that the meeting will bring together private sector suppliers, central government officials, Indian Oil Corporation coordinators, police and higher state authorities to arrive at a solution.
The shortage has led to long queues outside gas stations, especially at outlets run by public sector companies, as drivers avoid private pumps with high prices. According to drivers’ unions, PSU-run stations sell LPG for cars for around £1,000 $89.52 per liter while special outlets are charged between $99 and $105, pushing more drivers toward government-run distribution centers and increasing wait times.
Muniyappa said the state receives about 3,000 LPG cylinders for automobiles daily from central government supplies, and private companies contribute a similar number. However, he acknowledged that high prices charged by private suppliers had worsened the situation for drivers.
“We know that motorists are in distress. The central government supplies about 3,000 LPG cylinders to cars every day. However, private suppliers have increased prices. This is causing inconvenience to motorists. I will immediately call a meeting to resolve the issue,” Muniappa said.
He added: “The government provides about 3,000 liquefied gas cylinders for cars daily, and private companies also provide a similar number of cylinders. I learned that private companies have raised prices, and I will speak with the relevant officials,” indicating that the issue will be addressed as a matter of priority.
The minister linked supply pressures to the broader global energy situation, citing the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He said inter-agency cooperation would be essential to stabilize supplies, and noted that early planning at the national level could have mitigated the crisis.
Despite the assurances, motorists expressed frustration after their meeting with the minister, saying their livelihoods were severely affected. They criticized the delay in addressing fuel pricing issues and alleged lack of enforcement against private fuel stations. Drivers also warned of protests if their demands are not met by the April 10 deadline, including plans to raise black flags during the minister’s public appearances.
The crisis has been exacerbated by the recent proposal by Indian Oil Corporation Limited asking drivers to temporarily switch to petrol. Drivers rejected the proposal, describing it as economically unviable.
“One liter of LPG can take a car up to about 40 kilometres, while petrol usually only provides 20 to 25 kilometres. In fact, these vehicles perform worse when running on petrol. LPG cars are simply not designed to use petrol. And even if we did switch, it would mean spending an additional amount $250 l $300 every day, which is not sustainable for drivers. “The government should step in and ensure a steady supply of LPG for cars,” said Rami Gowda, an auto driver.
Indian Oil Corporation has increased LPG supply to vehicles in Karnataka from 43.5 metric tons per day in February to 68.53 metric tons as of April 4. However, drivers say the supply is still insufficient and with uneven prices.
“At present, LPG stations get about 6,000 automobile cylinders daily, of which about 3,000 are supplied to outlets run by oil marketing companies and another 3,000 to private pumps. But the private outlets charge much higher than the price set by Indian Oil. While PSU-run stations sell automobile LPG at $89.52 per litre, special pumps are required anywhere in between $110 and $135 beneficiaries of the shortage. It has become very difficult for us to deal with these prices. Earlier, before the war, the rate existed $“$66 per liter,” said Muhammad Rafiq, another motorist.
