Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Jan 3: In what appears to be a New Year shocker to the city consumers, the GAIL has increased the price of CNG by Rs 18 on the first day of 2022.

This comes as a huge burden on the pockets of people who are running their vehicles on CNG. Reacting to the price hike, the consumers held an emergency meeting on Sunday and decided to hold a protest in front of the GAIL office in Panambur.

The price of 1 kg of CNG was Rs 57 as on December 31. But on January 1, the price shot up to Rs 75. This move comes as a dampener as the purchase of CNG-run vehicles was increasing in the city owing to its environment-friendliness. Moreover, the government had also hyped the same. However, the sudden rise in price has made the owners as well as future buyers reconsider the idea.

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Srinath Rao, president, Dakshina Kannada District CNG Consumers’ Association said, “GAIL started the operation of its first phase of CNG Mother Station at Baikampady in December thanks to our prolonged effort. We were satisfied that the shortage of CNG was finally taken care of. But now, the sudden increase in price has shocked us. This will not only affect the existing users, but also the future purchase as well as production of CNG vehicles.”