After another hike, petrol in city now Rs 105.78/L, diesel at Rs 97.27

Guwahati: Fuel prices rose again across India, adding pressure on household budgets. In Guwahati, oil marketing companies have raised petrol by Rs 7.59 per litre and diesel by Rs 7.85 per litre within two weeks since May 14.

Petrol crossed Rs 100 per litre in the city on May 15, while diesel moved closer to the three-digit mark. After the latest increase, petrol in Guwahati is priced at Rs 105.78 per litre and diesel at Rs 97.27 per litre.

Prices were first increased on May 15 and then hiked again on May 19, May 23, May 24 and May 25. The first increase came days after PM Narendra Modi urged citizens to conserve fuel by opting for public transport over private vehicles. Prior to May 15, prices had remained largely stagnant in the Rs 93-Rs 99 range for about a year.

In 2021, after petrol breached Rs 100 following a hike, the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam govt reduced VAT on petrol and diesel by Rs 7 per litre, following central excise duty cuts of Rs 5 per litre on petrol and Rs 10 per litre on diesel.

Fuel prices had remained unchanged from Oct 2024 until May 15 this year. Data shows the highest petrol price in Guwahati in the last 10 years was Rs 106.07 per litre on Nov 2, 2021, while the highest diesel price was Rs 98.34 per litre on Nov 1, 2021.

Across Assam, petrol was costliest in Majuli district on Monday at Rs 107.77 per litre, followed by Dima Hasao (Rs 107.70), Lakhimpur (Rs 107.67), Dhemaji (Rs 107.40) and Dhubri (Rs 107.25). Petrol was cheapest in Golaghat at Rs 105.67 per litre.

Diesel was highest in Majuli (Rs 99.21), Dima Hasao (Rs 99.15) and Lakhimpur (Rs 99.09), and lower in Chirang (Rs 97.20), Golaghat (Rs 97.19) and Bongaigaon (Rs 97.41).

An Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) official said district-wise variation is driven by logistics and market factors. “However, the difference of fuel prices from district to district is minimal and it usually remains below one rupee. It may be over Rs 1 if we compare the prices of different states,” the official said.