A fresh fuel-price hike on Friday, May 15, 2026, has pushed petrol to about ₹113 per litre and diesel to roughly ₹100 per litre across the tri‑state junction around Chittoor district, slowing business at petrol pumps near the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka borders and hitting both consumers and station operators.
Fuel outlets from Kuppam to Satyavedu report that demand has thinned since the overnight increase, and many customers who must refuel now do so only out of necessity. Border towns including Nagari, Kuppam, V. Kota, Palamaner and Madanapalle are showing sharper shifts in buying patterns as motorists and transporters weigh the cost difference.
“We have to plan ahead and cross into Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, where fuel is still cheaper by several rupees per litre,” said 34‑year‑old lorry driver Karthik Vinayagam, who works for a transport company in Trichy and regularly shuttles between Theni and Bhubaneswar. Drivers say small savings per litre justify longer runs to neighbouring states.
Ramesh, a petrol bunk owner in Nagari a few kilometres from the Tamil Nadu border, said the change is now obvious at his pumps. “Earlier, we used to have a steady flow throughout the day. Now, after every price hike, we see fewer vehicles, and drivers just prefer two or three litres, hoping to cross into Tamil Nadu. Savings are the lifeline,” he said.
Dealers across the district warn the effect is not temporary: the persistent price gap has altered customer behaviour, with highway stations particularly hard hit by reduced sales and uneven demand through the day. The cross‑border divergence in retail fuel rates is reshaping refuelling patterns and putting sustained pressure on local fuel businesses.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/israel-us-iran-war-live-updates-petrol-diesel-price-hike-india-rates-may-15-2026/article70981418.ece
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Publish Date: 2026-05-15 23:20:00
