Diesel taxis could be on their way out, if things go according to plan for the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government.

In a bid to clean up the city?s foul air, the state government is planning to phase out diesel taxis and replace them with cars operating on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

?We?ve told taxi unions that the government plans to phase out diesel taxis to clean Calcutta?s air. For this, we have to convert diesel models into LPG-run vehicles, the way Delhi had switched to CNG,? said Hridyesh Mohan, transport joint secretary and director, public vehicles directorate (PVD), on Sunday.

The PVD is now issuing permits only to LPG-run taxis. ?Even in cases where old taxis are replaced with new ones, only LPG-run vehicles will be okayed,? Mohan added.

Only 15 to 20 per cent of the 34,000-plus taxis operating in the Calcutta Metropolitan Area (CMA) ? that too, mostly of recent make ? comply with the emission norms prescribed by the Centre.

Mohan spoke to taxi unions on Sunday morning at the first LPG awareness camp organised by Hindustan Motors, which has launched LPG-run Ambassadors.

Representatives of the Bengal Taxi Association, Calcutta Taxi Association, Progressive Taximen?s Union and the Joint Council of Luxury Taxi Associations participated.

?Now that the government has clamped down on permits to diesel taxis and oil companies are opening more auto LPG dispensing stations, we hope the response to LPG taxis will be better,? said a Hindustan Motors official.

Over 100 car mechanics from garages all over the city, too, dropped by at Sunday?s camp to familiarise themselves with the gas-run cars.

Since it started selling LPG cars in April last year, the company has so far sold only 38 cars, of which 18 were procured by the state government.

The rest were purchased by private parties.

?We are now offering a discount of Rs 50,000 on the first 100 LPG cars purchased from us. At this price, we can even target the petrol segment, since at Rs 24.75 a litre, LPG is almost half the price of petrol,? the official added.

There are seven auto LPG dispensing stations in the city. Each of the three oil majors plans to open two more by March 31.

Taxi unions, however, are not interested in the new LPG taxis. ?We will consider the option only if the government allows old models, especially pre-1975 vehicles, to convert to LPG. The transport department is not renewing permits of these vehicles,? complained Bimal Guha, secretary, Bengal Taxi Association.