LPG tanker lorries in southern region go off roads from today, 27 Mar ‘25

Over 5,500 LPG tanker lorries in the southern region are off the roads starting Thursday morning, demanding scrapping of new tender rules. The Namakkal-based Southern Regional Bulk LPG Owners’ Association have called for an indefinite strike across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry.

According to the association, the new tender from oil companies valid from March 1 to April 15 was only for 3,478 vehicles while there over 5,500 vehicles plying in the south, leaving the other vehicles idle. “It is an issue of livelihood for those who are left,” said a source.

The other major issue is that the new tender was floated for 21-tonne capacity tankers while over 80 per cent of vehicles are 18-tonne vehicles. “If this clause is not changed, it could create chaos among the vehicle owners, who don’t have any other job to do,” the source said. Supply of LPG supply will be affected in southern region if the strike goes beyond three or four days.

S Senthilkumar, Secretray of the association told businessline that the oil companies should follow the norms as specified in the Motor Vehicles Act. Some of the conditions, including the need for a cleaner and change of ownership, in the tender are making it tough for the owners to comply with.

LPG is imported at the ports of Ennore, VOC Port in Thoothukudi, New Mangalore, Kochi and Vishakhapatnam. The cargo is transported to storage facilities located near the ports through pipeline. From the storage plant, LPG is transported through the large tankers of 18 tonne or 21 tonne capacity to various bottling plants (22 in total in southern region). At the bottle plant, LPG is loaded in cycinders.

 Every day, about 1,000 bulk carriers load LPG from the storage facility to various bottling plants, he added.