Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Apr 23: After several days, the supply of auto LPG has resumed in Udupi, bringing significant relief to auto drivers in the city. From Wednesday, drivers were seen visiting LPG pumps to refill gas.

Around 7,000 litres of gas was supplied on Wednesday, offering temporary relief to auto drivers who had been facing difficulties due to the prolonged shortage. More supply is expected in line with the demand.

Due to the halt in supply over the past few weeks, many auto drivers had begun operating their vehicles using petrol. This led to increased fuel expenses and adversely affected their daily earnings. Some drivers had even taken up other daily wage work instead of operating their auto-rickshaws.

The disruption in gas supply was attributed to the war situation in the Middle East, which directly impacted several cities including Udupi. As LPG supply depends on imports, the disruption resulted in a local shortage.

With the resumption of supply, smiles have returned to the faces of auto drivers. However, they have urged authorities to ensure continuous supply in the coming days.

Auto drivers have also appealed to the government to take necessary steps to maintain stable and regular supply so that such issues do not recur.

As long queues of auto-rickshaws line up along the roadside for refuelling, there is a possibility of inconvenience to other vehicles. Locals have urged the authorities to deploy traffic police personnel to prevent traffic congestion.