Euro-VI fuels roll out in Delhi, prices hit record high

Transport fuel prices in Delhi hit record highs on Sunday along with the roll out of the Euro-VI grade petrol and diesel as the latest measure to tackle air pollution in the national capital.

Under the dynamic pricing system for auto fuels, state-run oil marketing firms announced Sunday's price of petrol in Delhi at Rs 73.73 a litre, which marks a four-year high, and of diesel at an all-time high of Rs 64.58. Both fuels were raised by 18 paise a litre each.

Petrol in Delhi had previously hit a high of Rs 73.06 on September 14, 2014. The diesel rate on Sunday at Rs 64.58 is at its highest ever here, having previously touched Rs 64.22 on February 7, 2018.

Announcing the Indian Oil Corp's (IOC) preparations for supplying the Euro-VI emission norm-compliant BS-VI fuels in place of the earlier Euro-IV grade, IOC Director (Refineries) B.V. Rama Gopal said on Saturday that though massive investments had been made to supply the improved fuel, Delhi consumers are not being passed on any of the additional cost of production for the time being.

"Rest assured we don't have plans of passing on the cost to consumers. There are no plans to recover from customers immediately," he told reporters here, adding that a mechanism for recovering the cost would be worked out when the whole country shifts to Euro-VI grade fuel.

The April 2020 deadline for the country to implement BS-VI grade fuels had been advanced for Delhi to April 1, 2018, in view of the extremely high levels of air pollution.

Gopal also said the Euro-VI fuel and lesser grade cars and two-wheelers, presently available, would result in 10-20 per cent reduction in particulate emission in Delhi but for full benefit, the vehicles too need to have Euro-VI engines.

--IANS

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