Asia Bizz: The state-owned oil firms in India announced a price hike of Rs. 6 per litre in the prices of Auto Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) on April 2, 2012. After the price hike in petrol, the auto rickshaw drivers in Chennai have revised the charges.
The auto drivers who use three-wheelers that run on petrol and diesel have also increased their fares, taking advantage of the LPG price revision. Estimates have mentioned that 12,000 of the 61,000 auto rickshaws in the city run on the LPG kits.
But as the south Indian city does not have adequate number of LPG gas stations, many of the auto drivers switch to alternative fuels like petrol and diesel. J Seshasinam, the general secretary of Tamil Nadu, AITUC Auto Drivers Federation, said that there was no difference between petrol, diesel and LPG when the revision of rates was taken into consideration.
The general secretary added that whenever fuel prices are increased, drivers operating any kind of fuel increase the fares and it is a uniform revision. So a passenger who has to travel between Egmore and Tiruvanmiyur has to shell out more – at least Rs. 100.
LPG is now priced at Rs.49.72 per litre against Rs 43.65 till last month.
