Petrol pumps in Kolkata and its adjoining districts have decided to stop selling petrol and diesel for 30 minutes and put off the lights at the stations on Thursday evening to protest against the hike in fuel prices which have crossed the ₹100-mark.
A section of app-cab drivers in the city had their lunch with rice and salt sitting on the road at Rashbehari crossing in south Kolkata as a mark of protest against rising fuel prices.
“The price of diesel crossed the ₹100 mark on Thursday. This is a black day and we have decided to lodge a protest. There will be no sale and the lights at fuel stations will be put off from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm,” said Prasenjit Sen, joint secretary of the West Bengal Petroleum Dealers’ Association.
Around 550 – 600 fuel stations in Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly will join the token the protest on Thursday evening.
The price of diesel in Kolkata and its outskirts touched ₹100.14 on Thursday morning; while the price of petrol was ₹108.79.