LPG consumers can soon make online payment for refills. Three oil majors - IOCl, BPCL and HPCL - are currently conducting trials in Pune for providing the facility to consumers. Online booking facility is available for the refills.

“The software is being tested currently and the online payment facility will be available in a month,” said a source in the oil industry. Already a few HPCL consumers,who have registered online, are making payments using credit cards.

Aditi Singh of Kelly’s said he was making the payment through card and it was very convenient since he did not have to search for cash when the delivery boy came.

Dakshinamurthy, an HPCL dealer, said everyday some of his consumers had been paying online. “Since the company accepts cash, cancellation is not done even the consumer is not at home, which is an added advantage,” he said.

Presently, refill booking is done through IVRS via mobile phones. Very few of the 1.54 crore LPG consumers in the State book refills online.

T. Sadagopan, a consumer activist, said even after online payment facility was launched oil companies should continue to accept cash payments.