Fuel prices in Pune reach new high, Petrol selling at ₹97.31 per litre

The petrol and diesel prices surged for the fourth consecutive day with the rate of petrol breaching the previous record on February 27.

Petrol prices in Pune reached a record high on Friday at ₹97.31 per litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

FILE PHOTO: A worker holds a nozzle to pump petrol into a vehicle at a fuel station in Mumbai, India, May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo (REUTERS)

The petrol and diesel prices surged for the fourth consecutive day with the rate of petrol breaching the previous record on February 27, when it was ₹97.19 per litre.

Besides petrol, the price of diesel also reached a record of ₹87.17 per litre, more than the previous high of ₹86.88 per litre. After the break in March and April, when prices had either stabilised or declined, they have started to soar from May 4.

The transporters have expressed deep discontent over the price fuel price hike and especially the record prices of diesel.

“Now passenger transport is completely closed and only goods transportation is going on. Most transportation is of the essential goods as the pandemic is raging. The hike in diesel price is a major blow to the transporters. The ultimate cost of these excessive prices will have to be sustained by transporters because traders won’t negotiate the transportation rates. How are we supposed to carry on? We are constantly writing to the central government to control the prices and give us some concessions,” said Baba Shinde, director (Maharashtra), All India Motor Transport Congress.

“The members across the board suggested that the government should be proactively engaged to address the concerns of the transport sector,” said Shinde.