New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Rising prices of petrol, diesel, and CNG have triggered concern among commuters and transport workers in Delhi and neighbouring Ghaziabad, with many residents saying the increase is putting pressure on household budgets and affecting their livelihoods.

In Delhi, several residents and daily commuters voiced frustration over the repeated hikes, saying the rising fuel costs are becoming difficult to manage.

A taxi driver in the national capital said that frequent increases were creating serious difficulties for ordinary people.

“There is already a lot of trouble. If prices keep increasing like this, how will our work continue?” he said.

Taxi drivers dependent on CNG said the rising operational costs were becoming increasingly difficult to bear, especially with no corresponding increase in ride fares.

“There has been a huge increase in CNG prices. We taxi drivers are very troubled. The government is not paying attention to this. CNG prices are rising, but Ola and Uber fares are not increasing,” a driver said.

Another resident pointed to the wider global context, saying international tensions were also contributing to the price rise.

“Rates are rising everywhere. There is a war going on, so naturally prices will increase. Even then, things are still under control here. If you look at Pakistan, prices are much higher. Here it is limited,” he said.

In Ghaziabad, residents echoed similar concerns, particularly those dependent on CNG-run vehicles for income.

A local driver said repeated hikes had made it difficult even to keep vehicles running.

“CNG prices have increased many times. We are unable to run our vehicles properly. We are not even able to pay our vehicle instalments, and managing household expenses has become very difficult. We are very worried,” he said.

Another resident said the impact was being felt across all sections of society.

“Everyone, from the middle class onward, is being affected. People may not be openly saying it, but it is impacting everyone — whether it is LPG cylinders, petrol, or diesel,” he said.

A commuter added that the gap between petrol and CNG prices was narrowing.

“CNG has increased by around Rs 8 to Rs 9 in the past couple of weeks. There is hardly any difference left now between petrol and CNG,” he said.

At the same time, some residents urged calm, calling it a global crisis rather than a country-specific issue.

“It is true that CNG prices are increasing every second or third day by Rs 2 or Rs 3. But this is a global effect, so we should not panic too much. This is not only India’s crisis but a worldwide one. Though the impact should not have been this much, we should stand with the country in such a situation,” a Ghaziabad resident said.

–IANS

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