Elegant and made of light weight fibre glass Transparent cylinders might soon become a reality this fiscal. Indian Oil, will be floating a global tender to purchase the much awaited transperent cylinders in a couple of weeks, an oil company official revealed. The State-run oil marketing company (OMC) is also the coordinator for procuring cylinders for Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum. Although the deal would be finalised by June end, the delivery of cylinders would not be possible before October this year, the official added.

In the initial phase of test marketing the product, the three OMCs have planned to purchase two lakh units of such cylinders to market them as life style premium product for the metros. It will be launched in Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai respectively to test the market.

To make the product more attractive, OMCs will be providing additional services apart from the delivery of the cylinders. The security deposit is likely to range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 per cylinder. However there would be no subsidy on the refill of cylinders. As a result, customers will have to shell out an additonal Rs 500 to Rs 600 per refill.

The oil company official said, “The three OMC’s have already sought approval of Chief Controller of Explosives.” The companies claim that the product available in the international market qualifies all fire tests and does not explode. The ministry had earlier in February given an in principle approval for the launch of this product following petroleum and natural gas minister Murli Deora’s idea of launching transperent cylinders about six months ago to ensure transparency in LPG supplies and avoid diversion.