The prices of compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG) are set to increase marginally from today.
According to DNA, the Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) is going for a hike of 32 paise/kg and 23 paise/standard cubic meter (SCM) respectively in CNG and PNG prices respectively. This means that from today, customers will have to shell out Rs 51.99 per kg of CNG for their vehicles; including autos and taxis. Similarly, for PNG, which is cooking gas, customers of MGL will have to pay Rs 31.79/scm, for the first slab and Rs. 37.39/scm for next slab.
“In view of increase in MGL’s gas costs due to increase in regulated tariff of Trombay RCF pipeline network from Rs 1.04/mmBtu to Rs 25.15/mmBtu and that of Uran-Thal-Usar pipeline network from Rs 3.49/mmBtu to Rs 6.03/mmBtu, MGL is constrained to partially pass-through its increased gas costs,” a statement by the MGL said, reported the Hindu. MGL has attributed the fresh price hike to the increased pipeline usage cost.
MGL told the DNA, even after the above revision, MGL's CNG continues to be an attractive proposition and offers savings of about 51% and 22% as compared to petrol and diesel respectively at current price levels in Mumbai." This is the second price revision of CNG and PNG this year; the earlier price revision happened on April 4.
Meanwhile, the autorickshaw and taxi unions are pushing their demand for a fare hike. Shashank Rao, an auto union leader, told the DNA, "We are demanding a hike in fares as calculated by the Hakim Committee. The increase in CNG prices has happened sixth time in the last few months."
