Speaking to The Indian Express, Federation of All India Petroleum Traders president Ashok Badhwar said, “There has been a poor response to ALDS in the entire country. If we see Delhi, there are just 16 ALDS, whereas CNG dispensing stations are more than 170. In metros like Delhi, private operators cannot have the luxury of more than 900 sq m space for setting up an ALDS. If the OMCs set up their own ALDS to increase visibility in metros, then more auto companies would look at it as alternate fuel.”

Explaining why ALDS failed to pick up in the states, Punjab Petroleum Dealers’ Association president J P Khanna said, “There is a need to make LPG use mandatory for public transport in states to make it more popular like for local buses and auto-rickshaws. In all major cities of Punjab, a large number of auto-rickshaws are running on spurious diesel, which is about Rs 5-6 cheaper than Auto LPG.”

Few takers

• Auto LPG sales form 1.29% of total vehicle fuel sales.

• 236 ALDS were operative at the end of 2006-07

• IndianOil has added 11 more so far during 2007-08

• IndianOIl to add 37 more ALDS this fiscal

• Oil ministry has set target of 284 ALDS in 2007-08