Kolkata, May 25 -- Fuel prices increased once again in Kolkata on Sunday, with petrol and diesel rates rising by more than Rs 2 per litre. Following the latest revision, petrol in Kolkata is now priced at around Rs 113.51 per litre, while diesel costs nearly Rs 99.82 per litre, keeping the city among the costliest metro cities for fuel in the country.
The latest revision marks the fourth fuel price hike in less than two weeks, intensifying concerns among commuters, transport operators and middle-class households over rising daily expenses and inflationary pressure.
The first hike in the recent spell of revisions was announced on May 15. Since then, including Sunday's increase, petrol prices in Kolkata have gone up by a total of Rs 7.13 per litre, while diesel prices have risen by Rs 7.08 per litre.
The TMC on Monday criticised the Centre over the hike in petrol and diesel prices, alleging that it would trigger a rise in the cost of essential commodities.
Addressing a Press conference, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Babul Supriyo claimed that the retail price of petrol in Kolkata is Rs 11 per litre more than in the national capital and demanded an immediate rollback of the state-imposed duties on the fuel in West Bengal.
"When there is a double-engine government now in the state, the price of petrol should be made at par," he said.
The Trinamool accused the BJP-led "double engine government" of "looting common people relentlessly" through repeated fuel price increases. In a statement posted on X, the party said petrol and diesel prices continued to rise while people were already struggling with increasing living costs.
The party also targeted BJP leader and Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari, alleging that promises of bringing Bengal's fuel prices on par with Delhi after coming to power had remained unfulfilled. "Yet another jumla stands brutally exposed," the statement said.
"The government is blaming the West Asian crisis for the price hike of petroleum goods, including domestic and commercial LPG, but they should make alternate arrangements to alleviate the people's problems," TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh said.
Ghosh demanded withdrawal of state levies, saying the BJP had made similar demands when the Mamata Banerjee-led government was in power.
Transport bodies in Bengal also expressed concern over the repeated hikes. Titu Saha, General Secretary of the City Suburban Bus Services, said rising diesel and maintenance costs were increasing pressure on operators. "We expect diesel prices to cross the Rs 100 mark soon. Rising fuel and maintenance costs are making it difficult to sustain operations," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.