NEW DELHI, May 1 — State-run oil companies on Friday raised the price of commercial LPG by a record Rs 993 for a 19-kg cylinder, the third consecutive monthly hike, and government sources warned that petrol and diesel increases in the near future are not ruled out as losses pile up from a four‑year freeze in retail fuel rates amid sharply higher global crude prices.
A 19-kg commercial cylinder — used by hotels, restaurants and other establishments — now costs Rs 3,071.50 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.50 previously. The Rs 993 rise follows increases of Rs 195.50 on April 1 and Rs 114.50 on March 1, taking the cumulative increase in three months to Rs 1,303. The announcement has prompted political uproar, with Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, calling the move an “election bill” by the government.
Market‑priced 5‑kg FTL cylinders were raised from Rs 549 to Rs 810.50, putting the small commercial bottle only slightly below the Rs 913 rate for a 14.2‑kg domestic LPG cylinder used in household kitchens. Domestic LPG prices were left unchanged on May 1; the last revision for household cylinders was a Rs 60 hike on March 7. Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum revise ATF and LPG prices on the first of each month using international benchmarks and the foreign exchange rate.
Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for international carriers was increased by USD 76.55 per kilolitre — a 5.33% rise — to USD 1,511.86 per kl. State‑owned firms kept the ATF rate for domestic airlines at Rs 1,04,927.18 per kl, electing to absorb the international price shock to protect carriers and passengers. The move follows an April 1 revision when international ATF had been raised to USD 1,435.31 per kl and domestic ATF was lifted by about 25% as companies passed on part of the cost increase. The decisions are expected to ease pressure on domestic carriers such as Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet; the Federation of Indian Airlines warned in a letter to the government that the “unprecedented increase in ATF cost has moved the airline’s operation from 30‑40 per cent to 55‑60 per cent, creating completely non‑operatable conditions for airlines.”
Industrial users buying bulk diesel — for example telecom tower operators — saw prices rise from roughly Rs 137 per litre to over Rs 149 per litre, compared with retail diesel at petrol pumps of Rs 87.62 per litre in Delhi. Final prices continue to vary across states because of differing local taxes and VAT.
Officials linked the domestic pricing pressure to a spike in international crude, which climbed this week to a four‑year high of about USD 126 a barrel before easing slightly but staying above USD 110 amid restricted ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz and sharp rhetoric between US and Iranian leaders. Analysts had earlier warned that petrol and diesel could be raised by about Rs 25‑28 per litre after the completion of polling in the West Bengal assembly elections on April 29. (PTI)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/05/02/commercial-lpg-and-5-kg-cylinders-see-steepest-ever-hike-amid-global-tensions/
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Publish Date: 2026-05-02 03:22:00
