NEW DELHI: With a sharp hike in CNG prices, auto, cab, and taxi drivers in the city have threatened to go on an "indefinite strike" from April 18 if the government doesn't provide subsidy on the fuel or increase the fare.
Associations of auto, cab and taxi drivers will hold protests against the Centre as well as the city government at Jantar Mantar on Friday and at the Delhi Secretariat on April 11 against rise in CNG prices.
Sarvodaya Drivers Welfare Association Ravi Rathor, who claims to have around 4 lakh drivers as members in Delhi-NCR, said that his association will go on an "indefinite strike" if their demands to reduce CNG prices or increase in fare are not fulfilled.
"We are demanding a reduction in CNG rates and if the prices cannot be slashed then the fare should be increased to cope with the price rise."
"There has been no revision in Ola and Uber fares for the last 7-8 years. In the protest tomorrow we will also take a call on an indefinite strike," Rathor told PTI.
Rajendra Soni, Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh's general secretary, said that the price hike in rates of CNG is "unprecedented" and it is becoming hard for taxi, cab, and auto drivers to survive.
Around 1 lakh auto rickshaws are currently plying in the national capital.
Soni said that his association has written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to provide a subsidy of Rs 35 per kg on CNG.
"We will go on an indefinite strike from April 18 if our demand is not met.
We have also decided to stage a symbolic protest at the secretariat on April 11 to oppose the price hike," Soni told PTI.
He said that the representatives of other auto and taxi unions such as the Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union and the All Delhi Auto Taxi Transporters Congress Union will also participate in protests and the strike.
Delhi's public transport, including cabs, autos, taxis and buses, is majorly CNG driven.
CNG prices in the national capital on Thursday were hiked for the second day in a row by Rs 2.50 per kilogram, taking the total increase since March to Rs 12.5 per kg.
CNG in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi now costs Rs 69.11 per kg, up from Rs 66.
61 per kg a few days ago, according to the information posted on the website of Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) - the firm which retails CNG and piped cooking gas in the national capital and adjoining cities.
Soni further said that when the city government can provide subsidy on electricity and water, it can afford to give a breather to auto and cab drivers as well.
"The government is giving discount on liquor then why cannot they give subsidy on CNG prices? This is a public welfare decision which the governments should not hesitate to take," Soni said.
Delhi-NCR Transport Ekta Manch general secretary Shyam Sundar also said that his association opposes the hike in CNG and other fuel prices and demanded that the Centre and the city government reduce the fuel prices.
"We oppose the steep hike in CNG and other fuel prices. They should provide some breather to auto and cab drivers by reducing the rates. We will soon take a call about the future course of action," Sundar said.
The increase in CNG prices follows an overall hike by Rs 10 per litre in petrol and diesel prices in the past 16 days, and a Rs 50 per cylinder jump in the LPG rates.
CNG prices in the national capital on Thursday were hiked by Rs 2.50 per kilogram - the 10th increase in rates in the last one month.
CNG in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi now costs Rs 69.11 per kg, up from Rs 66.61 per kg, according to the information posted on the website of Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) - the firm which retails CNG and piped cooking gas in the national capital and adjoining cities.
This is the second straight day of increase in price by Rs 2.50 per litre and the 10th since March 7.
In all, the CNG price has risen by Rs 13.1 per kg in the last one month.
In the last one year, prices have increased by Rs 25.71 per kg or 60 per cent, according to data compiled by PTI.
However, there was no change in the rates of Piped Cooking Gas (PNG) on Thursday.
It continues to cost Rs 41.61 per standard cubic meter.
City gas distributors have been periodically raising prices since October last year when domestic as well as international gas prices started to climb as economies worldover recovered from the pandemic-induced slowdown.
Prices rose by Rs 8.74 per kg in the last three months of 2021, and from January there was a steady increase of about 50 paise a kg almost every week.
The rates have gone up after the government more than doubled the price of natural gas to USD 6.1 per million British thermal unit from April 1.
Natural gas when compressed becomes CNG for use as fuel in automobiles.
The same gas is also piped to household kitchens and industries for cooking and other purposes.
On Thursday, Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) raised Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) price by Rs 7 per kg to Rs 67 per kg in Mumbai, while Gujarat Gas hiked rates by Rs 6.50 per kg to Rs 76.98 per kg.
Prices vary from city to city depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT.
The increase in CNG prices follows Rs 10 per litre hike in petrol and diesel prices in 16 days and a Rs 50 per cylinder raise in the cooking gas LPG rates.
A record 137-day hiatus in petrol and diesel price revision ended on March 22.
On the same day, the price of a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder was increased to Rs 949.50 in the national capital.
In some places, the LPG price has touched Rs 1,000.
According to IGL, CNG will now cost Rs 71.67 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad and Rs 77.44 per kg in Gurugram, the cities adjoining Delhi.