Mumbai residents face increased costs for CNG and piped cooking gas
Meanwhile, Mumbai residents will also pay more for buffalo milk from September 1 after the Bombay Milk Producers’ Association announced a Rs 9-per-litre increase in the wholesale price. The cost of producing a litre of milk has now reached about Rs 98, according to the association. “We already fought for a one-rupee hike in fares based on past fuel hike calculations, and now that we are getting the hike from Sep 1, the MGL is increasing gas rates.
The company said a significant portion of the gas required to meet growing CNG demand was being sourced through imported spot regasified liquefied natural gas at higher prices. The milk producers’ association said rising cattle feed prices, transportation costs, fuel expenses, labour charges and maintenance costs had made milk production more expensive. Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union leader Thampy Kurien said drivers would strongly oppose the increase, arguing that it would add to their operating costs just as revised passenger fares were coming into effect. This is unwarranted,” Kurien said.
MGL attributed the increase to rising input costs amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, which has pushed up international gas prices. The CNG hike has also drawn criticism from auto and taxi unions.
The government has given operators three months to complete meter recalibration, with the cost capped at Rs 700.
Until electronic meters are recalibrated, drivers have been directed to charge passengers according to RTO-approved tariff cards. RTO flying squads have also been deployed to check overcharging and the use of fake tariff cards.