Rise in fuel prices have had a strong impact on household disposable incomes. While some families have cut down on going on leisure rides or moved to public transport, a few others who can afford it have made the switch to electric vehicles as they are finding it an efficient solution.
“Fuel prices were giving me nightmares, so I bought a two-wheeler electric vehicle (EV). I can charge it for around ₹20 to ₹25 and run it for 60 km. This is much cheaper than filling petrol for around ₹550 in my moped. I have no complaints as it is working well for me,” says IT professional Sankeerth Kumar, adding that the cost of EMIs for the electric vehicle, too, has been factored into his expenses.
As on May 18, the price of petrol in Hyderabad stood at ₹119.47 and diesel at ₹105.47, unchanged for the past few weeks.
Others, who have no plans of buying an EV, have been cutting costs. That means fewer joyrides, and taking a step back from non-essential travel. “I think it is unlikely that there will be a substantial rollback in fuel prices in the near future. This is why the family is particular about travelling expenses. There has not been much change in salaries during the pandemic, so we have to do what we can to spend money wisely,” says Razia Fatima, who works in the administration section of a private company.
A few others, especially those who travel extensively within the city, are opting for public transport intermittently, instead of their personal vehicles. While some commuters say they are using the Hyderabad Metro Rail more often, others share that they have begun depending on Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses. Others point out that they have been using two-wheelers, instead of cars, as much as possible in order to save on fuel money.
