16 June 2009;business-standard.com:Mumbai:Private sector refiner Essar Oil today hiked prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 1-2.50 a litre and Rs 1-2 a litre respectively as international crude oil prices has risen to a seven-month high of $71 a barrel. Depending on the location of a fuel station, Essar Oil will accordingly sell petrol at between Rs 45.85 to Rs 47.35, while diesel will be sold at between Rs 35.45 to Rs 36.45 in Mumbai, a company official said. However, there will be no hike on fuel retailed in Gujarat owing to proximity to its refinery at Vadinar, the official said. The company till yesterday sold petrol and diesel at rates at par with state-run refiners Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum. Oil PSUs sell petrol at Rs 44.85 per litre in Mumbai and Rs 40.62 per litre in Delhi. Diesel is sold at Rs 34.45 per litre in Mumbai, while the same costs Rs 30.86 per litre in Delhi. The Ruias-led company does not operate any petrol station in Delhi and hence petrol rates for the entire northern region will range from Rs 41.62 to Rs 43.12, the official said. Diesel in the northern states will be sold at between Rs 31.86 to Rs 32.86, he added.
