Fuelled by price hike: Delhiites vs cabbies, auto drivers

A crisp 2,000 rupee note would have filled one’s vehicle with about 22 litres of petrol just 15 days ago, now it will get the fuel tank just a little above 19

A crisp 2,000 rupee note would have filled one’s vehicle with about 22 litres of petrol just 15 days ago, now it will get the fuel tank just a little above 19. The fule price has both Delhiites and cabbies singing, ‘mehengayi daayan khaaye jaat jai’, and the two camps find themselves at loggerheads. Social media, in fact, is fraught with cab riders complaining about AC not being turned on, whereas cabbies rue consecutive petrol and CNG price hikes.

Upset by cab drivers’ refusal to turn on AC despite scorching heat, riders have also taken to social media to complain. (Photo: ANI)

‘Salary toh badh nahin rahi humari’

Rohini Jaiswal, a finance professional says, “There is a price hike of fuel almost every day, and even my office parking fee has risen. In fact, e-rickshaw waalon ne bhi apne hire rates badha diye hain. It’s like garmi aur petrol price aapas mein competition kar rahe hain ki kaun zyada badhega. It’s becoming a luxury to afford AC in cars and cabs.”

Delhi-based student Jayishnu Sinha, says, “I’m taking a cab right now, but it’s not exactly affordable and convenient. Earlier, a friend used to get his car for a group of six of us. But now since there has been a steep rise in fuel prices, we have all been forced to take the metro. There are, anyway, lesser cabs available instantly now due to a lot of issues while booking through cab aggregators.”

Simran Bakshi, a Vikaspuri-based product professional, says, “I used to drive my car, but now that petrol price has risen, I prefer to take an auto. But itni mehengayi mein kaise chalega? Salary toh badh nahin rahi humari... Now, I’m conscious when I drive to the market and prefer to turn off the car’s engine at the red light.”

Chandra Mohan, a marketing professional, from Delhi, adds: “Maine ₹210 tak petrol dalwaya. Yeh bas ek din tak chalega. I do field work mostly. Itni mehangayi mein kaise chalega? Salary bar nahin rahi hai. Din bhar din rate aise badte chale jaa rahe hain jaise sharemarket ke rate bad rahe ho. Hamri kamar tooti jaa rahi hai.”

‘Aise hi raha toh gaadi khadi karni padegi’

On the flip side, cabbies say being stuck in jams and AC increase the fuel consumption, which is cause for concern for them. “Ek toh Dilli mein jaam itna, phir AC chalayenge toh aur zyada fuel kharch hoga. Fuel prices are going through the roof but cab owner wants profit. I’m just a driver. Humari salary pe toh farak padh hi raha hai iss sab se,” says a Delhi-based Sonu Mishra, a taxi driver for over 11 years.

Danish Khan, a cabbie for over eight years, says: “Dikkat toh hai hi. CNG has also become expensive. Company paise badha ke nahin de rahi hai. My cab often gets stuck in traffic jams, but I don’t get a higher fare. If this continues, toh mujhe gaadi khadi karke kuchh aur kaam dhundna padega.”

Suman Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver, adds: “Gas prices are constantly increasing. Problem bahut badi hai kyunki CNG rate badh raha hai toh kiraya bhi badhna chahiye, lekin aisa nahin ho raha. Log humse ladhte hain agar hum zyada paise maange. Public ko problem hogi agar kiraya badhega par humari bhi majboori hai.”

Authors tweet @siddhijainn and @nainaarora8

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