Fresh hikes in petrol and diesel prices have triggered resentment among transporters, commuters and traders in Ludhiana, who say rising fuel costs are putting additional pressure on household budgets and operational expenses amid persistent inflation.Commuters, traders and transporters say common man bearing the brunt of repeated hikes. (HT File)According to the latest fuel price data, petrol in Ludhiana has reached ₹105 per litre, while diesel was recorded at ₹95 per litre this week. Fuel prices have increased by over ₹8 in the past 10-11 days alone, drawing criticism from transport bodies and consumers, who alleged that oil companies and the government were burdening the common man despite earning huge profits in recent years.‘No relief despite low crude oil prices’ Former president of the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association Jai Aggarwal says the hike is completely unjustified and accused oil companies and the government of keeping fuel prices high even when global crude oil prices had remained low for months.“For nearly 18 to 19 months, crude oil prices remained low internationally, but there was no major relief for consumers. Fuel prices were kept almost unchanged despite companies earning huge margins. Now, for the last two months, prices have been increasing continuously,” he said.Aggarwal claimed oil companies earned profits worth ₹20,000 crore to ₹25,000 crore between January and March and alleged that excessive taxation was the main reason behind expensive fuel in India.“If the government reduces taxes on petrol and diesel to reasonable levels, fuel prices can easily come down to around ₹50-60 per litre. Taxes on fuel are even higher than luxury taxes in some cases. These hikes affect mainly the middle class and poor sections of society,” he added.Trader representative Sunil Mittal also expressed concern over the impact of rising diesel prices on transportation and logistics costs, saying the increase would eventually push up prices of essential commodities and consumer goods.Oil companies cite global market factors Ashok Sachdeva, a representative of the Petrol Pump Dealers Association, said the continuous fuel price hikes were affecting every sector linked to transportation and daily consumption. “In the last 10 days alone, petrol and diesel prices have increased by nearly ₹7.50 per litre. Fuel is a basic necessity, and almost every industry is directly or indirectly connected to it. There is absolutely no predictability in the market now, and the common man is unable to save any money,” he said.Sachdeva added that the transport and fuel retail sector was already under pressure due to rising operational costs. “Our industry has been badly affected. Wages and other expenses are increasing regularly, but dealer commission has not been revised accordingly. Delivery services like Zomato and Swiggy will also eventually increase their charges because transportation costs are rising continuously,” he said.Meanwhile, Indian Oil sales manager Akhil Roy Singla said fuel prices are revised based on multiple international and domestic factors, including fluctuations in crude oil prices, freight charges, currency exchange rates and taxation policies.“Oil marketing companies revise prices according to prevailing international market conditions. The changes are not arbitrary and depend upon several global and domestic economic factors,” he said.Impact on commuters The impact of the hike was visible at fuel stations across the city, where commuters expressed frustration over rising daily expenses.Harpreet Singh, a private employee who commutes daily from Dugri to Focal Point, said his monthly fuel expenditure had increased sharply in recent weeks. “Salary remains the same but expenses keep increasing every month. Petrol prices have become very difficult for middle-class families,” he said.College student Manpreet Kaur said many youngsters dependent on two-wheelers were struggling to manage daily travel costs. “Public transport connectivity is limited in many areas, so students mostly rely on scooters. Every fuel hike directly affects us,” she said.Rajesh Kumar, who drives an auto-rickshaw, said diesel price hikes were severely affecting drivers and small transport operators. “Passengers argue when fares increase, but we are left with no option because fuel prices are rising continuously,” he said.Transporters warn of fresh freight hike Transporters warned that if fuel prices continue to rise at the current pace, freight and transportation costs across Punjab could witness another increase in the coming weeks, further affecting consumers and businesses alike.