Petrol price hits century in Panchkula

At ₹100.21 per litre, petrol in Panchkula is the costliest in the Chandigarh tricity area; diesel in Panchkula is also the most expensive

Another hike in fuel prices on Sunday pushed the petrol price in Panchkula past the dreaded ₹100 mark.

Petrol prices had crossed the ₹100 per litre mark across the tricity last year as well. (HT File Photo)

At ₹100.21 per litre, petrol in Panchkula is the costliest in the tricity. Hitting ₹91.45 per litre on Sunday, diesel in Panchkula also remains the most expensive and the only place in the tricity where the fuel costs more than ₹90.

Mohali comes second with petrol priced at ₹99.52 per litre and diesel at ₹88.29 per litre. Chandigarh has the least expensive fuel with petrol costing ₹98.55 per litre and diesel ₹85.01 per litre.

Speaking about the increase in prices, President of the Mohali Petroleum Dealers’ Association, Ashwinder Mongia said, “The retail prices are still low compared to the cost of crude oil in the international market. In 2021, Mohali had the most expensive fuel in the tricity, but now Panchkula residents are feeling the impact. The disparity in prices in the tricity is due to the different value-added tax (VAT) charged by the respective state governments.”

Petrol prices had crossed the ₹100 per litre mark across the tricity last year as well. It happened first in Mohali on June 26, followed by Panchkula on October 5 and Chandigarh on October 10. But a month later, the rates were down to ₹96 per litre or less across the tricity until the spike in prices on March 22.

General secretary of the Chandigarh Petroleum Dealers’ Association, Amandeep Singh said while the retail rates were still relatively subsidised, those for bulk purchase had been increased by over ₹27 per litre.

The steady hike in fuel prices is also likely to affect the prices of fruits and vegetables in the city. Harpreet Singh, a mandi supervisor with the Punjab Mandi Board, said, “Currently, prices at apni mandis are on the lower side. But the effect of the fuel price surge can be expected in the next two weeks, as a considerable produce is transported to the city from faraway places.”

No respite from price surge

Spike in fuel rates (per litre) over the past five days

PetrolDiesel

March 22March 27IncreaseMarch 22March 27Increase

Chandigarh95.0198.553.5481.6385.013.38

Mohali96.7699.522.7685.5288.292.77

Panchkula96.47100.213.7487.6991.453.76