Hike in fuel prices shocks motorists

Hike in fuel prices shocks motorists
Deccan Herald

As soon as the news of hike in petrol and diesel prices spread, the queues in the petrol bunks in Bangalore grew longer on Monday evening. Many made a beeline with their vehicles to petrol bunks so that they can avoid ‘hike’ at least for the next few days.

Many customers shared their reaction with Deccan Herald.

Keshava, owner of a Indica, termed the Centre’s decision to hike fuel prices as ‘merciless’. “I am driving the vehicle since the price of diesel was Rs 0.95 per litre. I buy almost 300 litres a month and that means I will have to shell out Rs 600 more from my pocket”, he said.

Mr Joby, who owns a car was unaware of the price hike. As soon as he was told, he was surprised and shocked. Asked, for his reaction, he quipped, “What should I react. Will they take back the decision, if I react?”.

‘Hike costly’

Mr Nisar, who owns Toyota Qualis, was visibly upset over the hike. “I spend more than Rs 12,000 in a month for fuel. Rs 2 hike, means thousands of rupees for me. If they go on hiking price every now and then, how can we earn? I think the government has no sensory organs”.

Mr Dinesh, a two-wheeler rider, said: “It is not a surprise. We have to digest their decision. There was a news that the petrol price would be hiked by Rs 9. Thank god the hike is not that high”.

Petrol Bunk Owners’ Association president Bhooshan Narang says, the Centre can reduce fuel prices by reducing taxes. They are collecting 16 per cent excise duty, sales tax of 28 per cent on petrol. The actual price of fuels is too less. Only because of these additional taxes it has gone up so.

If they lessen the tax, the price will also come down.

SMS CAMPAIGN

Soon after the announcement of the fuel hike, an SMS campaign has started doing the rounds in the City urging the recipient of the message to raise their voice against the hike.

“Petrol in Pakistan is Rs 17, in Malaysia it is Rs 18. In India it will touch Rs 60 soon. Crude oil price in the world is not the reason for the hike. We are paying 57 per cent tax on petrol price. The politicians are the gainers. Its time we think and act”, the message read.