By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The much-talked about Online Booking System which would regulate the smooth supply and delivery of LPG cylinders in the city suffered another road block following a delay in receiving the approval of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to allow access into their software specially designed for this purpose.
The idea of this much-hyped system proposed by outgoing East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Jopthiaw Lyngdoh who has just taken over as the Commissioner and Secretary of ERTS, Power and District Council Affairs, is set to be delayed following the adamant attitude of the IOC in responding to the request sent by National Informatics Centre (NIC) to allow access into their software.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Lyngdoh said “NIC has developed special software to monitor the delivery system of LPG cylinders but the same is awaiting approval from the IOC to allow access by NIC into their software”.
The online booking system which has been discussed since last year was designed to ease the burden of customers who complained of having to dial the telephone numbers of respective gas agencies without success.
Under the proposed system, a consumer would be able to book a cylinder a day after the delivery of the cylinder instead of waiting for 15 days for booking and 10 days for refilling as is being done now.
But this system is delayed following requests from several gas agencies to extend the date before presenting their opinion in this regard.
Pointing out the advantages of having proper software to monitor the supply and delivery of LPG cylinders, Lyngdoh said “Having our own software, would enable us to access the database with the central server placed here in the office whereby the supply and delivery of cylinders would be monitored accordingly”.
Surprisingly the IOC with its head office in Mumbai has been uncooperative and is of the view that the booking system would be better in the form of an SMS.