ANJALI YADAV /Dehradun
Dehradun residents have expressed concern after oil marketing companies recently increased the price of premium petrol, saying that the move will add to their monthly transportation expenses and affect their daily routines.
Although the hike applies mainly to high-octane petrol variants used in select vehicles, such as BPCL’s Speed, HPCL’s Power and IOCL’s XP95, commuters in the provisional State capital say that even a small increase matters at a time when household costs are already rising.
In a city like Dehradun, where many people depend on private vehicles for commuting between residential localities such as Premnagar, Ballupur and Dharampur to workplaces in areas like IT Park and the city centre, fuel expenses form a significant portion of monthly budgets.
Rohit Verma, a private sector employee who commutes daily from Premnagar to IT Park, said that the price revision would increase his regular travel expenses. “I use premium petrol because my car performs better with it, especially while driving in areas with slopes and traffic. Even a small increase per litre adds up over the month. With school fees, electricity bills and groceries already rising, this makes daily commuting more expensive,” Verma said.
Students who rely on two-wheelers for travelling between colleges and coaching institutes across different parts of the city also said that the hike could affect their routine mobility. College student Naina Shrivastava said that she may have to limit non-essential travel to manage her expenses. “I regularly travel between my college and coaching institute using my scooter. Fuel costs are already high and any increase means I have to plan my trips more carefully. It affects our pocket money and daily routine,” Shrivastava added.
Small business owners in the city said that increases in fuel prices often lead to higher transportation costs over time. Prashant Negi who runs a grocery shop in Dharampur said that the fuel price revisions eventually affect supply expenses for local traders. “Even if this increase is only for premium petrol right now, transporters usually revise their rates when fuel prices go up. That eventually increases supply costs for shopkeepers like us,” Negi said.
Petrol pump operators in Dehradun’s Gandhi Park and Rispana bridge areas have said that the price revision mainly affects customers using premium fuel variants, but they have noticed that many consumers are keeping a close watch on fuel price trends due to their impact on daily commuting expenses. They added that the prices have increased by Rs 2.37 per litre.
