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Petrol, diesel to cost more in Mumbai

Our Bureau

MUMBAI, Jan. 4

MUMBAI will have to pay more for environment-friendly fuel. Retail prices of petrol and diesel will go up by 46 paise and 60 paise per litre respectively, effective midnight January 4/5.

Petrol will now cost Rs 31.73 per litre while diesel will cost Rs 20.67 per litre.

The decision comes after the Mumbai High Court's directive in a public interest litigation seeking enforcement of measures to contain pollution levels in Mumbai.

For enforcing the directive, two diesel hydro desulphurisatrion plants and other facilities costing Rs 1,422 crore have been commissioned in Mumbai refineries over the last one year, a news release said.

Retail outlets of petroleum products will now sell petrol with only one per cent benzene content against the earlier three per cent and diesel with 0.05 per cent sulphur (0.25 per cent).

The requirement for low-benzene petrol and low-sulphur diesel for the city will be sourced from Mumbai refineries, the release said.

The move is part of introducing Euro-II vehicular norms in metros. Environmentally-safer petrol and diesel is expected to be supplied to the four metropolitan cities before July 1, 2001.