New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): Delhi residents faced yet another rise in fuel costs on Saturday as Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) raised compressed natural gas (CNG) prices by Rs 1 per kg, pushing rates in the national capital to Rs 81.09 per kg from Rs 80.09 per kg – the third upward revision in just 10 days, following a Rs 2 per kg hike on May 15 and a Re 1 per kg increase on May 17. Neighbouring cities were not spared either, with CNG rates in Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad climbing to Rs 89.70 per kg and Gurugram seeing prices rise to Rs 86.12 per kg. The cascading effect of these successive hikes is expected to weigh heavily on transport operators and daily commuters who depend on gas-powered vehicles, with the cumulative pressure likely to translate into higher household expenditure and increased logistics costs across the region. The revisions come amid sustained stress from rising global crude oil prices and continuing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, both of which have kept international energy markets under considerable strain.
Adding to the burden on consumers, state-owned oil marketing companies simultaneously raised petrol and diesel prices on Saturday, also marking their third such revision in roughly 10 days. Petrol became dearer by Rs 0.87 per litre while diesel rose by Rs 0.91 per litre, with Delhi seeing petrol climb from Rs 98.64 to Rs 99.51 per litre and diesel moving from Rs 91.58 to Rs 92.49 per litre. The price increases were not confined to the capital, reflecting a broader nationwide fuel price adjustment – in Mumbai, petrol reached Rs 108.49 per litre and diesel Rs 95.02 per litre, while Kolkata saw petrol touch Rs 110.64 per litre and diesel reach Rs 97.02 per litre. Amid mounting public criticism over the relentless fuel price increases, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the government’s position earlier this month, asserting that India had managed to contain the magnitude of petrol and diesel price hikes despite a sharp spike in global crude prices – a claim that is likely to face renewed scrutiny as consumers grapple with the compounding effect of multiple revisions in quick succession.