The August-31 deadline for taking diesel autorickshaws off city roads having passed, UT administration is still undecided over launching a drive against such three-wheelers. A final decision regarding that would be taken at a meeting, which home secretary Ram Niwas will conduct on Tuesday evening.

State Transport Authority secretary Vandana Disodia said the drive had been put on hold till various aspects of the issue were examined at the meeting. She said, "There are 500 LPG autorickshaws plying on roads against 745 diesel-powered ones and people can opt for the environment-friendly mode of transport
."

UT home secretary Ram Niwas had hinted on Friday that the drive may be put off as two new LPG filling stations in the city had not become operational. He had stated that doing so would not allow autorickshaw operators to forward arguments for the deadline’s extension.

Disodia said though the matter was subjudice, the administration had not received any directions from court and there was no hurdle to launching a drive against three-wheeler operators, who had still not shifted to the environment-friendly LPG despite the administration giving them more than a year. The STA has also decided not to renew permits of petrol and diesel-run autorickshaws beyond August 2009.

Meanwhile, president of Auto Operators' Association ? Kamal Kant ? alleged that the LPG supply from the existing two filling stations was not adequate. "The administration has not taken any steps to facilitate conversion of existing autos from diesel to LPG and a majority of LPG-run three-wheelers in city are new ones," he added. "If the administration takes any action without fulfilling its promises, auto operators will launch an agitation. The 11-member committee to work out the transition on Delhi pattern has also not taken any decisions and the operators are feeling let down," he said.v