Motorists welcome fuel price cut

Fishermen call it tokenism, transport fraternity questions State’s decision to further reduce petrol price

What’s the trigger: An employee at a petrol pump in Colaba seems to have found something funny, on a day when the Centre announced cuts in the fuel prices.

Mumbai: The State government’s move to further reduce the petrol price by ₹2.5 on top of the Centre’s announcement to cut the fuel prices by ₹2.5 has evoked a mixed response from Mumbaikars.

Owners of two-wheelers are particularly happy as the move directly impacts them. “A reduction of ₹5 will result in massive savings. The move should have come earlier,” Sanghamitra Dutta said. Ms. Dutta rides her bike to work and spends around ₹450 per week on petrol. She said two months ago, she was spending around ₹350 a week.

Diesel car owners, especially drivers of ride-hailing apps, have welcomed the move, but said the prices need to go down further. “On an average, I spend between ₹35,000 and ₹37,000 per month on diesel. The figure used to be around ₹30,000 two months ago,” a driver with a leading cab hailing company, who did not wish to be named, said.

Rahul Kadam, a Thane resident, said the diesel price is getting out of control and the cut is a small relief. “I feel the State should have matched the relief granted by the Centre. But at least something is better than nothing.”

Fishermen said the reduction of ₹2.5 is just tokenism. “It is not going to drastically affect the situation on the ground. If the government is serious about fishermen’s issues, they need to do a lot more than this,” Damodar Tandel, Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, said.

Bal Malkit Singh, chairman of core committee, All India Motor Transport Congress, has slammed the fuel price reduction, and called the State government’s move a cruel joke on the transport fraternity. “Why is the reduction only on petrol? Diesel trucks are still involved in transport business, and unless there is a cut on diesel, there will be no respite from inflation.”

Mr. Singh said the reduction of ₹2.5 by the Centre is an eyewash. “Since January, the rate has increased by ₹18 per litre. If the government wants to make a difference, it needs to cut the prices by ₹10.”

Abhijit Bhosale, spokesperson, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, said they were considering a fare hike given the rising diesel prices, but with Thursday’s development, they will be relooking at the proposal.