Impact Of Gulf War On Nashik: LPG–CNG Supply Issues Raise Auto Fares; Citilinc Fare May Rise

Nashik: The impact of the Gulf War is now being felt in India, and LPG and CNG supply problems are arising. This has made private travel in Nashik expensive. The fare of LPG-powered auto rickshaws has increased, and the fare of Citilinc buses, known as the lifeline of the city, is also likely to increase.

At the beginning of the week, the price of LPG had increased from Rs 53.73 to Rs 67.95. That is, there has been a huge increase of Rs 14.22. Due to this, the fare of LPG-powered auto rickshaws has increased by 25 to 30 per cent. The passengers have been shocked by this sudden fare hike, and the impact of the war is seen directly falling on the pockets of the passengers.

On the other hand, the fare of the Citilinc bus service, which is considered the lifeline of the city, is also likely to increase. Like LPG, there is a shortage of CNG. Currently, 244 Citilinc buses are running in the city. Out of these, 50 buses run on diesel, and the remaining 194 buses run on CNG. If there is a shortage of CNG, the fare of Citilinc can be increased. There is no shortage of CNG yet, so the service has not been affected. However, if the situation persists, there is a possibility of reducing bus routes, said Citilinc General Manager Bajirao Mali.

Rumours about LPG, CNG, and petrol-diesel have spread on social media. Due to this, there is an atmosphere of financial instability among the common citizens. Many citizens are going directly to the agency and taking numbers for domestic gas cylinders. It is also seen that they are buying cylinders in the black market by paying more money.

Due to problems in LPG supply, vehicles have lined up at LPG pumps in the city. A large crowd of autorickshaws is seen. There are also queues for kilometres at CNG pumps. If the war continues, the situation is likely to worsen in the next few days.

HPCL has clarified the rumours spread on social media. The company said that such discussions are baseless. Citizens should not trust it. They have also appealed to use fuel carefully.

Citilinc and auto rickshaw drivers are also monitoring the situation, and if fuel availability decreases, services are likely to be affected. The administration has appealed to citizens to use fuel carefully and seek official information instead of believing rumours.