VELLORE: With auto-drivers striking work for over three days beginning Sunday, the rampant usage of domestic LPG cylinders by auto drivers who own petrol autos is the talk of the week in the fort city. The strike is expected to intensify on Monday with diesel auto-drivers joining in. The crackdown on petrol auto-rickshaws using domestic LPG cylinders began on February 1, when over 15 auto-drivers were booked for overloading as well as riding in the opposite direction on one-way streets and were found to be using domestic LPG cylinders to fuel their vehicles. The crackdown was conducted near the Palace Cafe area at around 10:00 am.The auto-drivers attempted to stage a road roko, but were warned and then called for talks by the Vellore SP. When the talks ended in vain, the petrol auto-drivers held a strike on Friday and Saturday. Diesel auto-drivers are also expected to join the strike on Monday to demand the withdrawal of cases registered against them for misusing one-way streets.Regional Transport Officer, Vellore, Pon Senthilnathan said, “I am ready to grant the approval to petrol auto-drivers to use gas fuel in their vehicles, provided the drivers fix an approved gas kit and bring the necessary documents including the gas kit dealer’s invoice, the kit testing certificate and the state government’s permission to use the authorised company’s gas kit, which is given when the kit is purchased. If these three certificates are produced along with the RC book, the approval will be given on the spot, after an inspection by the Motor Vehicle Inspector.” Shanmugam, District President of Vellore Auto Drivers Association, said, “Using domestic cylinders gives us double the mileage over petrol.” Petrol costs Rs 70 per litre, and gives a mileage of 30 kms, whereas LPG from the gas bunks costs around `40 per kilogram but gives 25 km. The fuel taken from the domestic cylinder costs about `30 for the same quantity.He added, “While we admit that using domestic gas is illegal, we also request officials to give us time to fix the gas kit.”A group of auto-drivers said that from what they knew, these gas kits are available in Kancheepuram and Bangalore and, while the kit itself costs Rs 8,000, the autos need to be transported to these cities to have them fitted with the appropriate kits by special mechanics. This would bring the total cost, including the mechanic’s fee, to about Rs 15,000. According to auto drivers, approximately 90 per cent of the 8,000 autos that run in Vellore district use domestic fuel and the sudden crackdown will affect them drastically. They also demanded a subsidy of around Rs 4,000 to purchase the gas kit. Pon Senthilnathan stated that drivers are currently breaking the law by using domestic fuel, which has in turn led to a scarcity of cylinders for domestic use and increased fuel prices. He also warned that approved gas cylinders have a chemical coating within, which prevents gas from bursting. However, using cooking fuel in other kits is highly dangerous.Meanwhile, talks are on to nab the persons and seal the shops that are involved in refilling domestic gas. With reference to the issue of auto-rickshaws using Arcot Road for two-way traffic, an auto driver said that this was allowed even when the Under Ground Drainage System (UGDS) work was in progress and that the traffic police started booking cases on auto-drivers without intimating them about one-way use on these roads.
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