India's leading city gas distributor, Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), on Sunday increased compressed natural gas (CNG) prices by Re 1 per kg across the Delhi-NCR region, marking the second hike within 48 hours and pushing Delhi's CNG rate beyond Rs 80 per kg for the first time.
Following the latest revision, CNG in Delhi now costs Rs 80.09 per kg, while consumers in Noida and Ghaziabad will pay Rs 88.70 per kg. The increase comes just two days after IGL raised CNG prices by Rs 2 per kg on May 15, taking the total hike over the past 48 hours to Rs 3 per kg.
The repeated rise in CNG prices is expected to increase transportation costs for private vehicle owners, auto-rickshaw drivers, cab operators and public transport users dependent on cleaner fuel alternatives.
The latest revision comes amid a broader fuel price surge announced by the Centre on May 15, when petrol and diesel prices were also raised by around Rs 3 per litre in the national capital. Petrol in Delhi is currently retailing at Rs 97.77 per litre, while diesel costs Rs 90.67 per litre.
The fuel price hike has been linked to escalating tensions in West Asia and the ongoing blockade-related disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy trade route through which nearly 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas supply passes. The geopolitical uncertainty has pushed international crude oil prices sharply higher, with Brent crude reportedly crossing the $100 per barrel mark.
Responding to criticism over rising fuel prices, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said India has managed to limit the increase in petrol and diesel prices despite the sharp spike in global crude oil rates. He stated that while several countries witnessed fuel price jumps ranging from 20 per cent to nearly 100 per cent, India's petrol and diesel prices rose by only 3.2 per cent and 3.4 per cent, respectively.
Rijiju further said public sector oil marketing companies absorbed substantial losses for weeks to protect consumers from a larger inflationary impact amid volatile global energy markets.
