On Budget day, petrol prices hit Rs 73 per litre in Delhi, highest since July 2014

The previous high in the national capital was Rs 73.60 a litre in July 2014, data from the Indian Oil Corp showed.

Image: Representational/ PTI

New Delhi:  On Budget day, petrol prices hit Rs 73 per litre in Delhi, highest since July 2014. Petrol prices approached a three-and-a-half-year high in Delhi on Thursday at Rs 73.05 per litre. The previous high in the national capital was Rs 73.60 a litre in July 2014, data from the Indian Oil Corp showed. On Wednesday, price of petrol in the city was Rs 72.92 per litre. In the other key metros of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, petrol prices reached landmark levels on Thursday with prices at Rs 75.74, Rs 80.91 and Rs 75.77 per litre. The previous highs in the cities were Rs 76.14 (Kolkata, August 2014), Rs 81.75 (Mumbai, July 2014) and Rs 75.78 (Chennai, August 2014). On Wednesday, prices were at Rs 75.62, Rs 80.79 and 75.63 per litre in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai respectively. Similarly, diesel prices have been hitting record levels every day for almost two weeks now. The trend continued on Thursday. In Delhi, diesel was sold at Rs 64.11 per litre. In Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, the fuel was priced at Rs 66.78, Rs 68.27 and Rs 67.62 per litre respectively. On Wednesday, prices of diesel were at Rs 64.00 (Delhi), Rs 66.67 (Kolkata), Rs 68.25 (Mumbai) and Rs 67.50 (Chennai) per litre. Global and domestic factors have spiked the fuel prices. Production curbs by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and high demand have led to the surge. On Thursday, price of the Brent crude oil was around $69 per barrel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in the Centre on Thursday presented its last full Union Budget 2018-19 in the Parliament. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the same in the at 11 am.