New Delhi, Jun 15 (IANS): The Oil marketing companies paused the hike in fuel prices on Tuesday providing respite to people already burdened with all-time high petrol and diesel retail rates.

Accordingly, the price of petrol continues to remain at Rs 96.41 per litre and diesel at Rs 87.28 per litre in Delhi.

OMCs had raised the price of the two petroleum products on Monday to take retail levels at new highs across the country.

In the city of Mumbai, where petrol prices crossed Rs 100 mark for the first time ever on May 29, the fuel price reached a new high of Rs 102.58 per litre on Monday. Diesel price also increased to reach Rs 94.70 a litre, the highest among metros. The price levels remain unchanged on Tuesday.

Across the country as well petrol and diesel price rise was paused on Tuesday but its retail prices varied depending on the level of local taxes in different states.

Petrol prices in three other metros apart from Mumbai has also already reached closer to Rs 100 per litre mark and OMC officials said that if international oil prices continue to firm up, this mark could also be breached in other places by month-end.

With Tuesday's price pause, fuel prices have now increased on 24 days and remained unchanged on 22 days since May 1. The 22 increases have taken the petrol prices up by Rs 6.01 per litre in Delhi. Similarly, diesel has increased by Rs 6.55 per litre in the national capital.

With global crude prices also rising on a pickup demand and depleting inventories of the world's largest fuel guzzler - the US, retail prices of fuel in India are expected to firm up further in the coming days. The benchmark Brent crude is currently close to $74 on ICE or Intercontinental Exchange.