Patna: People in Patna are set to pay more for transport and commercial cooking fuel after gas companies increased the prices of CNG and commercial PNG in the city. The latest revision in rates has added fresh pressure on common citizens, especially auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi operators and small business owners who depend on these fuels for their daily work. While the increase may appear small on paper, many residents believe repeated hikes in fuel and utility prices are slowly making everyday life more expensive.
According to the revised price list issued by gas distribution companies, the cost of commercial PNG has gone up by Rs 5.38 per standard cubic metre. After the hike, commercial PNG in Patna is now priced at Rs 93.27 per SCM. At the same time, CNG prices have also been increased by Rs 1 per kilogram, taking the new rate to Rs 89.90 per kilogram. The earlier price of CNG was Rs 88.90 per kilogram. The revised rates came into effect immediately and are now being charged at all authorised outlets across the city.
The biggest impact of the increase is likely to be seen in the transport sector because a large number of auto-rickshaws and commercial vehicles in Patna run on CNG. Drivers say that while the latest hike is not very large, it still reduces their daily earnings. Nitish Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver in the city, said the increase may slightly affect savings but is not serious enough to force drivers to raise passenger fares. He explained that most public sector CNG stations do not charge extra service fees, making the increase manageable for now. According to him, drivers are more worried about the continuous rise in the cost of living than this single price revision.
Another auto-rickshaw driver, Munir Kumar, said a CNG auto usually requires only three to four kilograms of gas to operate for an entire day. Because of this, the extra cost after the price increase comes to only a few rupees daily. He said this amount is too small to justify increasing fares for passengers. Employees working at CNG outlets in the city also said there has been no panic among customers after the new prices were introduced. Fuel sales have continued normally, although many customers were discussing the impact of rising prices on household expenses.
Hotel and restaurant owners in Patna are also closely watching the situation because commercial PNG is commonly used in kitchens and food businesses. However, several business owners said there are no immediate plans to increase food prices. Hotel operator Ramesh Kumar said PNG still remains cheaper than commercial LPG cylinders, which is why most businesses are trying to absorb the additional expense instead of passing it on to customers. Still, he warned that if fuel prices continue to rise in the coming months, businesses may eventually be forced to increase the prices of meals and beverages.
Gas companies have defended the hike, saying it is linked to rising natural gas procurement costs and higher transportation expenses. Officials say international fuel market fluctuations are affecting domestic gas prices across India. Even though the increase in Patna is relatively small, it has once again highlighted how sensitive household and transport budgets have become to fuel price changes. For many families and workers in the city, even a minor rise in daily expenses now makes a noticeable difference.
