CNG, cooking gas prices to rise by 16 per cent, may lead to rise in fares

Representational Image

CNG prices were today hiked by up to Rs 1.26 per kg in the national capital and adjoining cities following a 16.5 per cent rise in domestic natural gas price. The price of piped natural gas (PNG) supplied to kitchens was also raised by 80 paisa per standard cubic meter in Delhi and 91 paise per scm in adjoining cities. Indraprastha Gas Ltd, the sole supplier of CNG to automobiles and piped cooking gas to households in Delhi and the national capital region, said the increase in CNG price will be 95 paisa per kg in Delhi.

For users in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, the increase would be Rs 1.26 per kg because of differential tax rates, IGL said. The increase in rates follow government raising natural gas price by 16.5 per cent to USD 2.89 per million British thermal unit, the first increase in nearly three years. The new CNG price in Delhi is Rs 39.71 per kg and Rs 49.20 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida & Ghaziabad. The price of CNG being supplied in Rewari in Haryana as a part of trial run is being increased by Re 1 per kg from Rs 49.67 per kg to Rs 50.67 per kg, it said. IGL also raised piped natural gas price by 80 paisa per standard cubic meter (SCM) in Delhi to Rs 25.99.

Due to differential tax structure in Uttar Pradesh, the applicable price of domestic PNG to households in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad would be Rs 27.64 per scm, which has been increased by 91 paise per scm from existing Rs 26.73 per scm. In Rewari, the applicable price of domestic PNG would be Rs 27.63 per scm. IGL is supplying PNG to nearly 5.5 lakh households in Delhi and nearly 2.5 lakh households in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Rewari.

The company said it will continue to offer a discount of Rs 1.50 per kg in the selling prices of CNG for filling between 12.30 am to 5.30 am at select outlets. Consumer price of CNG would be Rs 38.21 per kg in Delhi and Rs 47.70 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad during 12.30 am to 5.30 am at the select CNG stations across the region. "The revision in retail prices of CNG and domestic PNG has been effected after taking into account the overall impact on the cost as a result of the increase in prices of domestically produced natural gas notified by the government," the statement said. IGL said the hike would have a marginal impact on the per kilometre running cost of vehicles. "For autos, the increase would be 2 paisa per km, for taxi it would be 5 paisa per km and in case of buses, the increase would be 27 paise per km." With the revised price, CNG would still offer over 59 per cent savings towards the running cost when compared to petrol driven vehicles at the current level of prices. When compared to diesel driven vehicles, the economics in favour of CNG at revised price would be over 32 per cent, IGL statement said.