Ahmedabad: Autorickshaw and taxi drivers in the city face fresh financial pressure ahead of Diwali after compressed natural gas (CNG) prices surged Rs 4.45 per kg in a single day on Friday, from Rs 94.02 to Rs 98.47. With prices nearing the Rs 100 mark, CNG vehicles, including automobiles, cabs, and private cars, will face higher fuel costs.Adani Total Gas Ltd, a city gas distributor supplying CNG and piped natural gas in states, including Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, has raised CNG prices.The latest increase follows a Rs 3.75-per-kg hike in Aug. Figures cited by autorickshaw drivers’ union, Gujarat Sarthi Sangh (GSS), indicate that CNG prices have risen by around Rs 20 through phased increases this year, adding to operating costs for commercial vehicle owners.In a representation to the govt, GSS has sought an immediate price cut and targeted relief for commercial autorickshaw drivers. They have also urged the govt to make CNG price-setting transparent and review the reasons behind successive increases.The unions said drivers were struggling to manage fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance and household expenses. They argued that raising autorickshaw fares would shift the burden to passengers, including students, working people, senior citizens and families already facing rising living costs.
Their demands include a special scheme to reduce CNG costs for commercial autorickshaw drivers and periodic fare reviews based on operating expenses, among others. They have also called for coordinated measures by the state government and relevant authorities to ease public transport costs.The unions said drivers and passengers were both bearing the impact of inflation. They urged the govt to address the issue as a matter of affordable public transport and drivers’ livelihoods, rather than treating it solely as a question of fare increases.ATGL also cited reduced availability of new well gas (NWG) from state-owned companies like ONGC and lower supplies of high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) gas following a govt order.The changes have reduced the share of competitively priced domestic gas available to meet CNG demand, adding to pressure on the company’s weighted-average procurement costs, it said.“ATGL continues to focus on limiting the impact on consumers while maintaining uninterrupted CNG availability,” a company spokesperson said, adding that CNG remained an economical and environmentally friendly fuel choice.– With agency inputs
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