Chennai residents feel the heat of petrol price hike

CHENNAI: The Rs 5 petrol price hike in Chennai has left Anthony Joseph of Korattur in a lurch. He used to ride to work on his new bike, but now he feels that it is better to travel by bus. "My job requires me to travel around in my bike but I don't think I will be able to afford it after the hike," said Anthony, who works as an marketing executive for multinational company.
Motorists and residents, such as Anthony, are angry at the price of petrol increasing nine times in as many months. Many fear the cascading effect more -- as petrol price hike typically leads to increase in the prices of essential commodities and auto fares and so on. "The fuel price increase will have an overall ramification. More than putting petrol in the bikes, it is the harassment by autorickshaw drivers that is a cause of concern," said S Ramalingam, national president, energy and fuel users association.
But V Sounderarajan, Koyambedu Market Management Committee member assured that the prices of vegetables will not increase unless the diesel price is hiked.
The price of petrol, which was Rs 62 per litre on an average, increased to Rs 67 from May 14. Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that taking the bike every day from Guindy to Parry's would cost Rs 1,000 every month -- an increase of Rs 70.
Car owners will pay more. A drive from Adyar to Anna Nagar and back will cost at least Rs 400 more. R Sanjeev, who resides in the city and works in a car company in the suburbs, says he plans to take the company bus henceforth. "I travel atleast 100 kms per day. I used to travel in my car earlier as I had to drop my wife at work. My petrol expenses were nearly Rs 4,000 per month, now I will have to shell out more," he said.
Meanwhile, politicians and unions have started raising their voice against the petrol price hike. Condemning the fuel price hike, the Democratic Youth Federation of India, Chennai held demonstrations on Anna Salai, Chepauk and Choolaimedu on Sunday. They shouted slogans against the central government and burnt effigies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Auto driver unions also held a demonstration in front of the memorial hall on Sunday. The general secretary of Tamil Nadu Auto Workers Federation, J Seshasayanam said that the state government should provide petrol to autorickshaw drivers at a subsidised price. "They should provide us the fuel like they give diesel to fishermen," he said.