Another CNG price hike in 2 days: Check what it will cost in Delhi NCR

CNG prices in Delhi-NCR rose again on Sunday, marking the second increase in two days as global energy pressures continued to push up fuel costs in India.

Compressed natural gas prices were raised by Re 1 per kg from Sunday. In Delhi, CNG now costs Rs 80.09 per kg, while prices in Noida and Ghaziabad increased to Rs 88.70 per kg.

The latest revision comes just two days after CNG prices were increased by Rs 2 per kg on May 15.

The repeated hikes follow the government’s recent decision to increase petrol and diesel prices for the first time in more than four years amid mounting losses faced by fuel retailers due to surging global crude oil prices.

Petrol Price Today

Petrol and diesel prices were raised by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday.

In Delhi, petrol prices increased to Rs 97.77 per litre from Rs 94.77, while diesel prices rose to Rs 90.67 per litre from Rs 89.67 previously.

Fuel prices had remained unchanged during assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal despite sharp volatility in international oil markets linked to the West Asia conflict.

Diesel Price Today
 

Global crude prices behind fuel hikes

Energy prices climbed sharply after the US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28, and Tehran’s retaliation disrupted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.

Crude oil prices surged above $120 per barrel at the peak of the conflict, compared with around $70-$72 per barrel before the crisis.

Although prices have eased from peak levels, crude continues to trade in the $104-$110 per barrel range, keeping pressure on fuel retailers and import-dependent countries such as India.

The prolonged freeze in domestic fuel prices had increased losses for state-run oil marketing companies.

Before Friday’s price revision, oil companies were losing around Rs 14 per litre on petrol, Rs 42 per litre on diesel and Rs 674 per cylinder on LPG, according to industry estimates.

Fuel prices had stayed unchanged since 2022

Petrol and diesel prices had largely remained unchanged since April 2022, except for a one-time Rs 2 per litre reduction in March 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Fuel rates vary across states because of differences in value-added tax.

Although India officially follows a deregulated fuel pricing mechanism, revisions are often influenced by political considerations, especially during election periods.

The latest CNG hike is expected to add pressure on transport costs and household budgets in Delhi-NCR, where a large number of vehicles and public transport fleets run on compressed natural gas.