Already at an all-time high, fuel prices continued to rise across the tricity, with petrol priced at ₹96.92 per litre in Mohali on Friday.
After remaining stable for a couple of months, fuel prices have been hiked eighteen times in the past one month, rising by around ₹3 per litre since the beginning of May.
In Panchkula, petrol was available for ₹92.38 on Friday, while it cost ₹91.14 in Chandigarh. Meanwhile, diesel was priced at ₹88.57 in Mohali, ₹86.05 in Panchkula and ₹85.32 in Chandigarh.
With fuel rates being the highest in Mohali, the local petrol dealers there are facing the maximum brunt.
“The disparity in rates between Chandigarh and Mohali has pushed business out of here. Many petrol pumps on the highway are on the verge of closing down, and those within the city are also reporting a massive drop in sales,” said Ashwinder Mongia, president, Mohali Petroleum Dealers Association.
Mongia said fuel is mainly consumed by farmers and transporters in Mohali, and by increasing the prices, inflation in items of daily use can be expected. “If the Punjab government can reduce the disparity in liquor prices between Mohali and Chandigarh, then why can’t the same be done for fuel, which is a basic necessity?” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Mongia said fuel is mainly consumed by farmers and transporters in Mohali, and by increasing the prices, inflation in items of daily use can be expected. “If the Punjab government can reduce the disparity in liquor prices between Mohali and Chandigarh, then why can’t the same be done for fuel, which is a basic necessity?” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Petrol pump owners in Chandigarh are also reporting reduced sales. Colonel HS Kapoor (retd), the owner of a fuel station in Sector 21, said his sales have dropped by 50% as compared to that in February and March. He attributed it to both the hike in fuel prices and lockdown restrictions on vehicle movement.