Auto LPG Shortage Disrupts Autorickshaws in Southern India

Hyderabad, India – Autorickshaw drivers across southern India faced severe disruptions on Wednesday due to a nationwide shortage of auto liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with long queues forming at fuel stations in Bengaluru and supply issues hitting hardest in Hyderabad, where officials convened an urgent meeting to address the crisis.

The shortage, which has led to a 35 percent drop in auto LPG availability, stems from international supply constraints tied to ongoing conflicts in West Asia. In Telangana, the daily demand for auto LPG stands at 202 metric tonnes, but supplies have fallen to 147 metric tonnes, creating a deficit of 55 metric tonnes. This has left many private fuel outlets empty, stranding around 100,000 autorickshaws that rely on the fuel for operations. Domestic household LPG supplies remain stable, but the auto sector's woes have rippled through public transport, forcing drivers to idle vehicles and cut earnings.

In Hyderabad, Civil Supplies Commissioner M. Stephen Raveendra chaired a review meeting at Civil Supplies Bhavan with representatives from major private auto LPG firms, including Aegis Gas, Super Gas, Go Gas, Total Energies, Prime Gas, Extra Gas, and...