Kullu, May 23
The continuous rise in petrol and diesel prices across the country is beginning to affect the tourism-driven taxi business in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district. Fuel prices rose again on Saturday, marking the third increase in a week, pushing petrol beyond ₹100 per liter in Kullu, while diesel touched ₹92 per liter.
The increase comes as the tourist season peaks in the hill district, raising concerns among taxi operators who depend heavily on long-distance travel bookings. Reports of fuel shortages and restricted supply at several petrol pumps have further added to their worries.
Local taxi driver Kavindra Thakur said rising fuel prices would not only hurt taxi operators but also drive up inflation across sectors. He warned that transporters and bus operators may soon be forced to revise fares if the trend continues.
Another driver, Prem Chand, expressed concern about rising operational costs and the high taxes imposed on commercial vehicles. He said taxi operators may have no option but to increase fares if fuel prices continue to rise and shortages persist.
Residents have also voiced concern over the repeated hikes. Sunil Sharma, who visited a petrol pump for refueling, said frequent price increases were becoming difficult for common people to bear and urged the government to take immediate steps to control inflation and ensure an uninterrupted fuel supply.
Meanwhile, petrol pump manager Rajpal Sharma clarified that fuel is currently being supplied adequately at their station and no official notification regarding rationing has been issued so far. He added that future supply decisions would depend on government directives.
