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Unions rue CNG price hike, want Govt to roll it back
The economical fuel Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has gone dearer by Rs 1.75 per kg after the sixth price hike this year. The sixth revision will affect CNG-propelled public transport especially autorickshaws, school buses and private car owners among others. The clean fuel will now cost Rs 33.75 per kg in Delhi and Rs 37.90 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad.
The current CNG rate revision has not gone down too well with the auto and taxi unions, who are vehemently against the hike. Kishan Verma, president, All Delhi Auto/Taxi Transporters Congress expressed his anguish saying, “We are totally against the recent price revision in CNG prices. The unions will exert pressure on the Government to ask Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) to roll back the current revision, as it is not justified. The increase in autorickshaw fare last year has been of no benefit. Ever since the fare revision, the prices have gone up significantly. We cannot demand for another fare revision but the Government has to find solution to this situation.
Verma added, “Even though the fuel was promoted by the Delhi Government to propel the public transport in the city, it has been unable to put an end to its successive price hikes. IGL, which supplies the fuel in the city, has completely ignored the woes of the drivers who have to stand in long queues just to get their vehicles refilled. The number of pumps is still 322, even after significant increase in the number of private and commercial vehicles propelled by the fuel. It just proves that IGL is taking advantage of its monopoly in the city.”
The sixth CNG price revision does not go well with owners of the CNG driven private cars. Shelling out Rs 5.75 per kg compared to Rs 29 per kg in the month of January this year, has added to the worries of CNG vehicle owners. “Looking at the long term running cost benefits, I recently purchased a CNG model by investing a lakh more than the petrol driven model. But with rapid increase in its prices, I am not sure how much the fuel will remain lighter to my pocket in the coming days,” said Sangeeta Kaushik, a CNG Wagon R owner.
The fresh hike has also raised the concerns of parents who send their children to schools in CNG-run school buses. “We fear that frequent hikes in the fuel prices are going to put additional burden on us. So far there has been no hike in school bus fees, but the day is not far,” said Nisha Shaw, a housewife.
IGL had last raised CNG prices in Delhi by Rs 2 per kg to Rs 32 per kg from October 1. It is notable that the fuel has been on an upward swing and the year kicked off and is concluding with its rate revision. The first price hike was effective from January 2 this year and the sixth one has been put into effect from December 29 midnight. According to IGL, the current revision has been announced on account of rupee depreciation against the US dollar.
The economical fuel Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has gone dearer by Rs 1.75 per kg after the sixth price hike this year. The sixth revision will affect CNG-propelled public transport especially autorickshaws, school buses and private car owners among others. The clean fuel will now cost Rs 33.75 per kg in Delhi and Rs 37.90 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad.
The current CNG rate revision has not gone down too well with the auto and taxi unions, who are vehemently against the hike. Kishan Verma, president, All Delhi Auto/Taxi Transporters Congress expressed his anguish saying, “We are totally against the recent price revision in CNG prices. The unions will exert pressure on the Government to ask Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) to roll back the current revision, as it is not justified. The increase in autorickshaw fare last year has been of no benefit. Ever since the fare revision, the prices have gone up significantly. We cannot demand for another fare revision but the Government has to find solution to this situation.
Verma added, “Even though the fuel was promoted by the Delhi Government to propel the public transport in the city, it has been unable to put an end to its successive price hikes. IGL, which supplies the fuel in the city, has completely ignored the woes of the drivers who have to stand in long queues just to get their vehicles refilled. The number of pumps is still 322, even after significant increase in the number of private and commercial vehicles propelled by the fuel. It just proves that IGL is taking advantage of its monopoly in the city.”
The sixth CNG price revision does not go well with owners of the CNG driven private cars. Shelling out Rs 5.75 per kg compared to Rs 29 per kg in the month of January this year, has added to the worries of CNG vehicle owners. “Looking at the long term running cost benefits, I recently purchased a CNG model by investing a lakh more than the petrol driven model. But with rapid increase in its prices, I am not sure how much the fuel will remain lighter to my pocket in the coming days,” said Sangeeta Kaushik, a CNG Wagon R owner.
The fresh hike has also raised the concerns of parents who send their children to schools in CNG-run school buses. “We fear that frequent hikes in the fuel prices are going to put additional burden on us. So far there has been no hike in school bus fees, but the day is not far,” said Nisha Shaw, a housewife.
IGL had last raised CNG prices in Delhi by Rs 2 per kg to Rs 32 per kg from October 1. It is notable that the fuel has been on an upward swing and the year kicked off and is concluding with its rate revision. The first price hike was effective from January 2 this year and the sixth one has been put into effect from December 29 midnight. According to IGL, the current revision has been announced on account of rupee depreciation against the US dollar.
