Second fuel price hike in a week raises fears of further jump in transport costs

Patna: State-owned oil companies on Tuesday raised petrol and diesel prices by around 90 paise per litre in state, further burdening residents already grappling with rising living costs. The latest revision marks the second increase in less than a week, after fuel prices were hiked by nearly Rs 3 per litre on Friday.In Patna, petrol prices have now crossed Rs 109 per litre, while diesel prices are nearing Rs 96 per litre. The fresh increase comes amid sharp fluctuations in international crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Crude oil, which was trading at around $70 per barrel before tensions escalated, has now surged beyond $100 per barrel, fuelling concerns of more domestic price hikes.Residents across the city expressed frustration over the repeated increase in fuel prices and the growing impact on household expenses.“Petrol is crossing Rs 109 now. Every time I fill up my bike, I feel the pinch. Earlier it was manageable, but these back-to-back increases are making daily commuting very expensive,” said Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Phulwarisharif.The rise in diesel prices is also expected to push up transportation costs and prices of essential commodities.“Diesel has become costlier, which means everything from vegetables to transport fares will go up soon. We common people are the ones who suffer the most. The govt should do something to control this,” said Sumitra Devi, a homemaker from Kankarbagh.Several fuel stations in the city have restricted sales for two-wheelers, four-wheelers and heavy vehicles due to limited supply, while some outlets are witnessing increased customer rush.Ashok Kumar, proprietor of a fuel station at Dak Bungalow, said supply had been affected at several pumps. “But the supply at our station is normal. So, the commuters wanting refilling are coming to our station. The average sale is 20,000 litres of petrol and 10,000 litres of diesel,” he said, adding that prices may rise further in the coming days.Experts warned that if international crude oil prices remain elevated for a prolonged period, further hikes in petrol and diesel prices cannot be ruled out.Prabhat Kumar Sinha, president of Bihar Petroleum Dealers’ Association, clarified there was no widespread fuel shortage in Bihar.“Some isolated incidents happened, like four fuel stations temporarily closing in Kishanganj. In Madhubani, there was some panic buying due to war-related rumours, but it was quickly controlled. We can say that the supply was around 10%-20% lower than the average,” Sinha said.He added that border districts such as Kishanganj, Raxaul, Supaul and Araria occasionally face pressure because fuel prices in Nepal are higher, leading to cross-border fuel lifting. However, govt restrictions have helped contain the situation.Explaining the limited sale at some fuel stations, Sinha said, “Some dealers limit sales — like Rs 500 for two-wheelers and Rs 1,000 for four-wheelers — only when stock is low due to delayed payments, company supply issues, or closures on Sundays and holidays.”On the continued rise in fuel prices, Sinha said international crude supply concerns and increasing global rates were the key reasons. He added the daily fuel price revision mechanism, which had briefly been frozen by the govt, has now resumed.“If international prices stabilise or fall, domestic prices may stop rising or even reduce,” he added.