Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Wednesday, Dec 11, 2002 |
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Corporate
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Announcements MUL to launch LPG version of Omni Our Bureau
BANGALORE, Dec. 10 MARUTI Udyog Ltd will soon launch an LPG version of its Omni in Bangalore. "Initially we will get about 10 vehicles, depending on the response, we will increase the numbers,'' said Mr S.N. Burman, Regional Manager, Maruti Udyog Ltd, Bangalore. Explaining why the company chose Bangalore to launch the vehicle, he said that the city already had three bunks supplying LPG for vehicles and this made it easier to experiment. According to Mr Burman, the LPG vehicles, to be launched in 10 days, would help the auto market break out of the `chicken and egg' dilemma. "The LPG suppliers are complaining of lack of demand for the fuel and the vehicle manufacturers are not too sure of the supply of fuel'' he said, adding, the first lot would mainly be targeted at `City Taxi' operators. "This is one more effort by MUL in the `War Against Pollution' campaign started by the Karnataka Government' said Mr Burman. The State Transport Department and the Society of Indian Automobiles Manufacturers had initiated the campaign in November this year. Under this programme, MUL has checked 10,500 Maruti vehicles, a sizeable number of two and three-wheelers and several non-Maruti vehicles were checked free of cost. Those vehicles that conformed to the norms were given Government valid emission check certificates. Those that failed the test were asked to get it corrected within seven days and report to the RTO. According to Mr Burman, MUL plans to spread this initiative in other parts of Karnataka and to other States too. Mr Thimme Gowda, Transport Commissioner, Karnataka, said there was an urgent need to educate vehicle owners about the economic advantage of getting their vehicles serviced regularly. "We have started spreading this message to people when they come to RTO offices to get their licences.'' Talking of phasing out of old vehicles, Mr Gowda said that with effect from January 1, 2003, commercial vehicles aged more than 15 years would not be allowed to enter Bangalore city and commercial vehicles aged more than 20 years would not be allowed to ply in the city. Bangalore has about 60,000 vehicles, which are more than are 20 years old. "We are also talking to autorickshaw owners to gradually move to LPG as it will reduce pollution in the city,'' said Mr Thimme Gowda. He also urged MUL to start more service centres to help in this campaign.
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