Following Friday's Rs 6 hike in the per-litre price of LPG for automobiles, auto rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru report that their earnings have been significantly reduced. The new price of Rs 95.24 per litre has led to filling stations across the city witnessing a much lower number of auto rickshaws on Saturday.
Impact on Drivers
Syed Moula, an auto driver from Madiwala, said he is considering taking up other work. 'LPG prices before the Iran war were around Rs 60. With one litre, my auto would run for about 25 km. Now, for the same distance, I have to pay almost Rs 100,' Moula said. He noted that some riders are now paying extra tips to help drivers cope. 'Today, I dropped a customer to KSR station who was getting late for his train. Though the fare was Rs 300, he paid me Rs 600. Only such tips are keeping us going,' Moula added.
Drivers also complained that aggregator platforms have not revised fares after the price hike. 'I don't see any compensation being provided for the high fuel prices. A lot of drivers opted for LPG as CNG was expensive, but now both are at the same level,' said Manikandan U from Koramangala.
Hoteliers Protest Steep Hike
The Karnataka State Hotels Association (KSHA) held a protest at Freedom Park on Saturday, demanding that the government immediately reduce GST on 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders from 18% to 5%. Hoteliers said prices have risen from Rs 1,800–2,000 in March to more than Rs 3,000 now. The hotel and restaurant industry is facing an unprecedented crisis, the association stated.
Union Minister's Defense
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday defended the hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices, citing India's dependence on imports. He stated that over 50% of the country's LPG requirement is met through imports and the price increase was 'inevitable,' given that oil marketing companies were incurring heavy losses due to disruption in global supply chains.
