PETROL 29 PAISE SHORT OF REACHING ₹100-MARK

MUMBAI: A day after remaining constant, fuel prices surged in the city on Tuesday. The price of petrol was short of only 29 paise to touch the ₹100-mark, after a litre of the fuel was priced at ₹99.71 on Tuesday. One litre of diesel was available at ₹91.57 following a 22-paise surge.

On Monday, petrol and diesel were available for was priced at ₹99.49 and ₹91.30 per litre.

In Thane, one litre of petrol was priced at ₹99.83, while diesel was available for ₹91.69 on Tuesday. Among the metro cities, Mumbai had the highest fuel prices. In Delhi, petrol and diesel were available for ₹93.44 and ₹84.32, respectively. At Hyderabad, petrol and diesel were priced at ₹97.12 and ₹91.92, while in Chennai, they were available at ₹95.06 and ₹89.11, per litre, respectively.

Transporters’ bodies have stated they have approached the Centre, demanding a cut down on excise duty. “We have asked the government to cut down on excise duty. State governments should reduce their value-added tax (VAT) to provide some relief to the bleeding transport sector and the common man. Also, petrol and diesel should be brought under the goods and service tax (GST),” said Bal Malkit Singh, chairman, All India Motor Transport Congress.

“The government’s failure and deliberate reluctance to provide any relief to distressed sectors by way of blanket moratorium, freeing tolls or extending insurance or retraining corruption by its officials on roads only points to its arrogance,” added Singh.