As the city of Mumbai witnesses a rise in the COVID-19 cases, petrol prices, the city will also have to face a hike in fare of auto-rickshaws and taxis. As the price of petrol and diesel is substantially skyrocketing day by day, the fare of of auto rickshaw and kaali peeli taxis has also been rised by Rs 3 per km. The city is already combating with the Covid situation, and now with a hike in fares, travelling will become costlier for commuters.
Minimum fare for autos has been hiked to Rs 21 from Rs 18 while for Kaali Peeli taxi the price has gone to Rs 25 from Rs 22. In Mumbai today the cost of petrol stands at Rs 97 while diesel is retailing at Rs 88.06.
For the last few weeks, Indians have been left reeling by the rise in petrol and diesel prices across the country. In some areas, the price has breached the Rs-100 mark, while in others it hovers perilously close. And as the prices soar, opposition parties are leaving no stone unturned to lash out at the Centre.
Taking potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's well-known promise of "Achhe din aane waale hain," the Youth Wing of the Shiv Sena wondered if the definition for the same had changed. In posters that have been put up in various locations across Mumbai, they highlight the rising fuel prices. "Yahi hai acche din?" the banner asks in Hindi.
Visuals shared by news agency ANI indicate that the posters have been put up in various locations, including petrol pumps in the suburban locale of Bandra West.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday (21st February) also wrote to PM Modi over "spiralling" fuel prices, urging him to follow 'Raj Dharma' and reduce the prices by partially rolling back excise duty.
In a 3-page letter to Modi, she said the government has been "unreasonably overzealous" in levying excessive excise duty on petrol and diesel and asserted this was "nothing short of extortion" to cover up "economic mismanagement". The truth is as GDP "nosedives", the prices of gas, diesel and petrol continue to rise unchecked, the Congress chief said.
According to rates given by the Indian Oil Corporation on Monday morning, petrol is presently selling for Rs 97 in Mumbai. Diesel is priced at Rs 88.06 per litre.
