Fuel Hike Worries Transporters and Consumers
Fuel price hikes in Hyderabad have sparked concerns among transport operators and consumers, raising costs for everyday services and potentially leading to an increase in food prices.
Highlights
- •Hyderabad sees fuel price hike concerns from various transport sectors
- •Gig drivers and truck owners voice dissatisfaction over the latest price revisions
- •Consumers worry about higher transportation costs affecting daily expenses
- •Fuel hikes could lead to increased food prices, impacting essential goods
Hyderabad: With fuel prices increased for the fourth time within 10 days, concerns over the impact on earnings and daily costs have surged among transport operators and platform workers. Gig drivers and truck owners have expressed dissatisfaction, with some seeking a rollback of the price hike while others calling for uniform diesel pricing across India.
The latest increase in fuel prices is expected to significantly boost transportation costs across various sectors. "The fuel forms the base price for any travel service," says Akber Ali Khan from Metro Travels, pointing out that this escalation will inevitably flow downstream affecting food and other products' prices. Mohammed Riyaz Khan from a wholesale and retail kirana merchant at Begum Bazaar adds, "From essential goods like salt to tamarind and edible oils, the increase in fuel prices will have a cascading effect on consumer costs." These concerns extend beyond commercial transporters to include educational institutions and parents of school-going children. With bus fares expected to rise before the academic session resumes in June, nearly 1,300 school and college buses operate within Hyderabad and its surrounding areas.
Impact on Daily Lives
The fuel price hike is predicted to create a wave of higher transportation costs, impacting everyday life. The state's average daily consumption stands at about 5,883 kilolitres (kl) of petrol and 7,348 kl of diesel with an unprecedented latest revision expected to affect millions of consumers who rely on these services.
"The increase in fuel prices has a direct impact on the cost of transportation," notes Ms. Khan further emphasizing that "any rise will ultimately be borne by the consumer."
