CNG Prices Hiked By ₹1 In Delhi For 2nd Time In A Week, Opposition Fumes, Auto Unions Demand Fare Hike

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has become costlier once again in the national capital , with prices being raised by ₹1 per kg on Sunday. This marks the second increase in less than a week , adding fresh pressure on fuel costs for daily commuters and commercial vehicle operators.

With the latest revision, CNG now costs ₹80.09 per kg in Delhi , while prices in Noida and Ghaziabad have climbed to ₹88.70 per kg . This follows a ₹2 per kg hike on May 15, taking the cumulative increase to ₹3 per kg in just 48 hours .

The back to back CNG revisions come on the heels of the government’s decision to raise petrol and diesel prices by ₹3 per litre each on Friday, the first such hike in over four years. In Delhi, petrol now costs ₹97.77 per litre, while diesel stands at ₹90.67 per litre.

Indraprastha Gas Ltd attributed the revision to rising input gas costs and the sharp appreciation of the US dollar, which has increased import related pressure. The company maintained that piped natural gas rates for households remain unchanged and that CNG still offers up to 45 per cent savings compared to alternate fuels.

The cascading hikes have triggered a political firestorm. AAP leader Anurag Dhanda accused the Centre of plunging the country into panic, saying people were “concerned and angry” and questioning the Prime Minister’s absence during the crisis. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the government “first lectures citizens to use less cars, then quietly hikes petrol and diesel prices,” warning that farmers, truck operators, and middle class families would bear the burden. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal called the hikes a “crippling blow” to the common man already battling inflation, urging urgent steps to control prices.

On the ground, the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Union and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union have written to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta demanding that the minimum auto fare be raised from ₹30 to ₹50, warning that CNG dependent operators can no longer absorb rising costs. If accepted, it would directly impact daily commuters, adding further pressure on household budgets.

Fuel prices had remained frozen through recent assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal despite volatility in global crude markets. Opposition parties allege that the timing of price revisions is politically influenced, while the ruling party argues that India has managed the global energy crisis better than many economies.

With crude markets still unsettled and geopolitical tensions in West Asia continuing to disrupt supply chains, analysts have not ruled out further price revisions in the coming weeks.