An action taken report submitted before the Calcutta High Court by the West Bengal government on Thursday revealed that of the 19,548 applications received by the state government for converting existing auto-rickshaws into four-stroke LPG mode, 17,319 are incomplete.

Advocate General Bolai Roy informed the court that 982 autos have already been converted into green fuel mode, but the incomplete applications are slowing down the process of further conversions.

After the hearing, the court directed the auto owners to submit complete applications within seven days.

Delivering the order, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh also asked various oil companies to explore the possibility of setting up more LPG outlets in and around the city.

Roy informed the court that at present there are 12 LPG outlets in Kolkata and its surrounding areas and another 10 will come up by March 31.

According to the transport department, at least 40 LPG outlets are required to maintain a smooth supply of LPG to nearly 34,000 autos plying in the city.

Roy said that according to the guidelines framed by the explosive department of the Union government, LPG outlets can be set up only in the outskirts of the city.