Commercial LPG cylinder price crosses Rs 3,100 in Delhi after latest hike

Commercial LPG prices were increased once again on Monday, raising operating costs for restaurants, hotels, caterers and other businesses that rely on cooking gas, even as rates for domestic consumers remained unchanged.

The latest revision has pushed the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi up by Rs 42 to Rs 3,113.50. In Kolkata, the increase was steeper at Rs 53.50, taking the retail price to Rs 3,255.50 per cylinder. Oil marketing companies also raised the price of 5-kg Free Trade LPG cylinders by Rs 11, with the revised rate in Delhi standing at Rs 821.50.

Household consumers were spared any increase, with the price of the 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder being Rs 913 in the national capital.

The latest hike extends a sharp upward trend in commercial LPG prices this year. A 19-kg cylinder in Delhi, which cost Rs 1,691.50 in January, is now priced at Rs 3,113.50, reflecting an increase of more than Rs 1,400 within five months.

The rise has come through a series of successive revisions. Commercial LPG prices were raised by Rs 49 in February and by a further Rs 115 in March. The sharpest increase came in April, when rates surged by Rs 993 per cylinder. After remaining elevated through May, prices have now been revised upwards again from 1 June.

Across major cities, commercial LPG prices remain significantly higher. A 19-kg cylinder now costs Rs 3,024.50 in Mumbai, Rs 3,232 in Chennai, Rs 3,294 in Hyderabad and Rs 3,322 in Patna, adding to cost pressures for businesses dependent on commercial fuel.

The increase comes against the backdrop of broader fuel inflation. CNG prices in Delhi and neighbouring regions have risen by a cumulative Rs 6 per kg since mid-May, with the latest revision taking the retail rate to Rs 83.09 per kg. Petrol and diesel prices have also witnessed multiple increases in recent weeks, rising by Rs 7.35 and Rs 7.53 per litre respectively.

For businesses that depend on both transportation and commercial cooking fuel, the combined effect is likely to increase operating expenses and put pressure on margins.

Industry experts attribute the sustained increase in commercial LPG prices to continued volatility in global energy markets and disruptions in international supply chains, which have kept fuel costs elevated despite easing prices in some other commodities.

Although household LPG prices remained unchanged, consumers may still feel the impact through higher restaurant and food-service bills, as commercial establishments continue to grapple with rising energy costs and little prospect of immediate relief.

With PTI and IANS inputs