New Delhi: While returning from work on Thursday night, an exhausted Shekhar decided to postpone refuelling his car till the next morning. But when he stopped at a petrol pump before heading to office on Friday, he came to know that fuel prices had gone up overnight. “I now have to shell out nearly Rs 200 extra for a full tank of diesel,” he said while waiting at the pump.By the time most Delhiites were stepping out for work on Friday, petrol and diesel prices had been hiked by Rs 3 a litre, pushing the former to Rs 97.77 and diesel to Rs 90.67. CNG, used by autos, cabs and a large section of commercial vehicles, was dearer by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR, taking the price to Rs 79.09 per kg.The hike comes amid a surge in global crude prices triggered by tensions in West Asia and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which have increased financial pressure on Indian oil companies.Like Shekhar, many commuters, cab drivers, auto drivers and bikers reacted with blank expressions when informed of the hike while tanking up on Friday. “Have prices increased? By how much? Since when?” attendants at pumps heard the same questions on the loop.For Rahul Chaudhary, who spends most of his day on the road, the hike immediately translated into anxiety. His bike is not a convenience; it is a means to his livelihood. “For people like us who work outdoors, this is not a small jump. I travel nearly 100 to 150 km daily, covering areas like Bahadurgarh and Sonipat from morning till evening. My salary is still Rs 30,000, but fuel expenses keep rising. You cannot stop travelling because the job depends on it. Salaried people earn the same, but daily expenses keep on climbing.”The impact was equally visible among CNG users, especially cabbies and auto drivers parked near metro stations and auto stands. While some carried on quietly, others debated whether passengers would accept even a slight fare increase.“My cab’s mileage is around 10 km per kg CNG, and I drive nearly 150 km daily,” said Mohit Kumar. “On top of that, the car rental is Rs 800 a day. Then there are SIPs and loan payments of nearly Rs 19,000 every month. Earlier I could still save up to Rs 4,000. Now even that small cushion will disappear. Drivers cannot keep absorbing every hike while fares stay the same,” he said.Auto drivers echoed the same concern. Many said commuters often bargain over even Rs 10 and Rs 20, leaving little room for them to recover rising operational costs. “Passengers already have a fixed amount in mind for every route,” said Sonu, an auto driver, near ITO. “For us, this fuel price hike means more money leaving our pockets every single day. If fares increase slightly now, I hope people understand that drivers are struggling to make ends meet.”Amid these concerns, Delhi Auto Rickshaw Union and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union have written to Delhi govt demanding an immediate revision in auto and taxi fares. In the letter, the unions stated that auto and taxi drivers were already under severe financial strain owing to repeated hikes in CNG rates, rising prices of tyres and engine parts, and the introduction of a fitness charge of Rs 800 earlier this year.Rajendar Soni, general secretary of the union, said it has proposed increasing the minimum auto fare for the first 1.5 km from Rs 30 to Rs 50, and raising the subsequent per-km rate from Rs 11 to Rs 15, while also seeking a hike in taxi fares. “Drivers can no longer survive on existing rates when fuel and maintenance costs continue to rise,” he said.Bibek Banerjee, general secretary, Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, said, “To prevent hoarding, guidelines advise against filling up more than 400 litres of diesel in a truck and petrol worth over Rs 10,000 in a car.”Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training said the diesel price hike is unlikely to significantly disrupt the trucking market immediately, estimating only a 1% to 1.5% impact on freight costs across major trunk routes. It said a weak industrial demand, excess fleet capacity and existing fuel-escalation clauses in transport contracts are expected to cushion the impact. However, in case of a prolonged economic slowdown, the financial stress on fleet owners could increase, it added.
