LPG users of Indian Oil, which distributes gas under 'Indane' brand, can now book their refills through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) or SMS and need not call the ever busy phone number of cooking gas distributors.

The oil marketing company has launched Automated Unified System (AUS) for booking LPG cylinders in Mohali and Chandigarh on pilot basis, by which the LPG customers can book their refills through IVRS and SMS based system round the clock throughout the year.

"The new system (AUS) of booking cooking gas in Chandigarh and Mohali has been introduced on pilot basis. Once it is successful here, it is proposed to be launched in Jalandhar and Shimla in second phase," a senior official of Indian Oil said here.

Indian Oil has 2.14 lakh LPG users in Chandigarh and 46,000 customers in Mohali.

This customer friendly initiative also prevents the chances of diversion of the cooking gas by unscrupulous gas distributors.

Under the new system, the LPG users will have to first register their phone numbers at IVRS supported number 9781324365 before booking the refill.

Once the number is registered, the users can dial the same number for refill booking, registering any complaint and knowing status of previous booking, he said.

"The registered customer can also go for subsequent bookings by sending SMS stating, for example, IOC to 9781324365," he added.

The new system removed human intervention in booking altogether. The registered users will get three SMSes from 'Indane', informing them about booking confirmation, preparation of cash memo and confirmation of home delivery.

To popularise the new facility, Indian Oil has already sent SMSes to over 70,000 customers to avail the same.