HUBBALLI: As diesel price for bulk users rose by over Rs 20 per litre, buses of North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) are lately depending on retail pumps in Hubballi city for refuelling.
Following the increasing price of crude oil in the international market (113.9 dollars per barrel as of Tuesday), the oil companies in the country have been regularly revising retail prices for the last one week throughout the country. They also hiked the price of bulk users over Rs 20 per litre which is burdening the bulk users, especially state-run transport companies.
NWKRTC, which is running under loss post lockdown and Covid-19 pandemic, is hit by the price rise. The corporation is operating in six districts and it requires lakhs of litres of diesel every day, but they are not being supplied with the required quantity of fuel.
Diesel price in the retail outlets in Hubballi is Rs 87.9 per litre as of Tuesday, but it is being sold at around Rs 108 to the NWKRTC depots. Sources said, they are getting only 80 to 90 percent supply and they are short of 10 to 20 percent fuel every day. Therefore few buses are asked to get fuel from retail outlets.
In 2013-14, a similar situation prevailed following the diesel price hike. Now, for the last two three days buses are seen on the retail petrol pumps. “The oil supplying companies are asking the retail pumps not to give fuel to buses, therefore pumps are fearing to give diesel. But the central office advised us to get refills outside as the price is less,” said an officer.
Gurudatta Hegde, managing director, NWKRTC said following the Rs 20 hike in fuel price they are suffering a Rs 60 lakhs burden every day and Rs 18 crores in a month. They also requested the government not to hike prices for the public transport companies which are serving people.