Bengaluru: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), reiterating that it has increased LPG supply in Bengaluru, on Sunday also urged auto drivers to temporarily switch to petrol, noting that nearly 70% of the city’s autorickshaw fleet is equipped with dual-fuel capability.“The long queues outside our filling stations are because we have not stopped supply. Also, our rates are cheaper than whatever is being sold at private stations,” an official said.According to IOC, auto LPG is currently being sold at Rs 89.5 per litre at PSU outlets in Bengaluru, compared to Rs 99-105 per litre at private stations. This price gap, coupled with the shutdown of a large number of private outlets, has pushed more customers towards public sector pumps.Officials said nearly 80% of over 300 private auto LPG dispensing stations (ALDS) in Karnataka are non-operational due to geopolitical disruptions, leaving PSU-run stations to absorb the bulk of the demand. “To bridge the gap, IOC has increased its average daily supply from 43.5 metric tonnes in Feb to 59.5 MT in March, and further to 68.5 MT from April 4,” a statement issued here read.However, officials acknowledged that infrastructure constraints, including limited dispensing stations and capacity, are making it difficult to fully meet the demand.IOC said drivers in areas facing long wait times may switch to petrol to maintain operations, adding that such shifts have already been observed in towns like Puttur where there are fewer supply points.
