New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS): After hefty Rs 8.38 per litre cut in diesel price in the national capital on Friday, the oil marketing companies have gone on a pause mode keeping auto fuel prices unchanged on Monday, the third successive day when auto fuel prices have not been revised.

Accordingly, diesel continues to be priced at Rs 73.56 a litre in Delhi while petrol price remains static at Rs 80.43 a litre.

Across metros, petrol and diesel prices are keeping steady for the past seven days as pump prices of auto fuels have not been changed since then.

On Friday, diesel prices were cut by a sharp Rs 8.38 a litre following Delhi government's decision to reduce VAT on the product from 30 per cent to 16.75 per cent.

The price cut has again made diesel cheaper than petrol in the city after more than a month. In fact, diesel is cheaper than petrol in Delhi by the widest margin among all metros now.

Delhi was the only major city in the country where diesel prices were higher than petrol. Diesel prices first rose above petrol in Delhi last month, much to the discomfort of the transport sector and the fuel dealers.

The Rs 1.5 a litre difference in prices had led substantial loss of business to pump operators in Delhi as vehicles were getting diesel filled in neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.