New Delhi, Jul 8 (IANS): Diesel has maintained its gain over petrol in Delhi as oil marketing companies kept the prices of auto fuels unchanged on Wednesday after raising the price of diesel by 25 paisa per litre in the city a day earlier.

With the retail prices remaining unchanged, diesel is priced at Rs 80.78 a litre in the National Capital while petrol is priced at Rs 80.43 a litre. The oil companies also kept petrol and diesel prices unchanged across the country.

Delhi is the only metro city where Diesel is priced higher than petrol and this has been maintained since June 24, when for the time ever the transportation fuel climbed up over petrol.

Apart from Delhi, diesel is still cheaper than petrol by Rs 6-8 per litre in other metro cities. Diesel is priced at Rs 79.05 a litre in Mumbai that is an increase of 22 paisa over Monday's price, at Rs 77.91 a litre in Chennai (19 paisa increase) and Rs 75.89 a litre in Kolkata (25 paisa increase).

Officials in oil marketing companies said that diesel prices are seeing more volatility in international market so the price changes in the fuel segment has been higher. But with global oil prices also rising again and set to touch $43 a barrel, expectation is that fuel prices may again see an uptick in coming days.

Before Wednesday, Fuel prices remained unchanged for the seven consecutive day till Tuesday when oil companies raised the price of diesel.

Prices of the transportation fuel have had a pause after rising to record levels 23 of the past 32 days after the oil marketing companies (OMC) resumed the daily price revision system from June 7 that kept the petrol and diesel prices to rise incessantly till June 29.

During the daily hike till June 29, diesel prices in Delhi recorded a new feat by overtaking petrol prices, making the common man feel the heat.