Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has become more expensive once again for vehicle owners in Delhi-NCR, dealing another inflationary blow to commuters and transport operators. After a ₹2 per kg increase earlier this week, Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has announced a further hike of ₹1 per kg effective from 6:00 AM on Sunday, May 17, 2026. This marks the second increase in just two days and takes the total rise in CNG prices to ₹3 per kilogram within 48 hours, pushing up fuel costs for millions of auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi operators, commercial vehicle owners and private motorists who rely on CNG for everyday travel. With this revision, the price of CNG in Delhi has risen to ₹80.09 per kg, crossing the ₹80 mark for the first time in the national capital. The latest revision comes days after petrol and diesel prices were also raised by ₹3 per litre amid rising global energy prices linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.
With this revision, the price of CNG in Delhi has risen to ₹80.09 per kg, crossing the ₹80 mark for the first time. The revised prices vary across regions depending on local taxes and transportation costs. Noida, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Gautam Budh Nagar are now priced at ₹88.70 per kg, while Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Shamli each have a revised rate of ₹88.58 per kg. In Gurugram, the new CNG price stands at ₹85.12 per kg, and Rewari motorists will pay ₹84.70 per kg. In Haryana, Karnal has a revised price of ₹84.43 per kg and Kaithal is at ₹85.43 per kg. Earlier on May 15, IGL had increased CNG prices by ₹2 per kg, bringing Delhi rates to ₹79.09 per kg at that time.
Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), the primary supplier of CNG and PNG in Delhi-NCR, said the price adjustment was necessary to partially offset higher input gas costs and the steep appreciation of the U.S. dollar. In an official statement, the company said, "The retail selling price of CNG has been increased by ₹1/kg w.e.f. 6 AM on 17.05.2026 in all GAs of IGL. The revision in retail prices of CNG has been effected only to marginally offset the impact of increase in input gas cost along with steep appreciation of USD. Even after revision, CNG would still offer up to 45% savings towards the running cost when compared to vehicles running on alternate fuel at the current level of prices." The company emphasised that despite the latest hike, CNG remains significantly cheaper than petrol and diesel for daily use.
The latest CNG price hike is expected to affect millions of commuters, especially in cities where auto-rickshaws, taxis and buses depend heavily on natural gas. Transport unions may seek fare revisions if fuel costs continue to rise. In cities such as Mumbai, auto-rickshaw associations have already begun demanding an increase in base fares following recent fuel cost escalation. Higher transportation charges can have a wider economic impact by increasing logistics costs and feeding into retail inflation, thereby reducing household purchasing power. The burden on daily commuters, cab drivers, auto-rickshaw operators and transport services is expected to rise further with the latest revision.
The CNG price hike comes amid a broader fuel price revision by the Central government. On May 15, the government increased petrol prices by around ₹3 per litre and diesel by nearly ₹3 per litre, taking petrol to ₹97.77 per litre and diesel to ₹90.67 per litre in Delhi. State-run oil companies say the hike is due to rising international fuel costs linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the hikes, comparing India's 3.2% and 3.4% price increase in petrol to other countries that witnessed hikes ranging from 20% to nearly 100% due to the West Asia conflict. According to Rijiju's comparison, Malaysia saw a growth of 89.7% in petrol prices and 112.7% in diesel prices, while the US reported a hike of 44% in petrol prices and 48.1% in diesel prices. Even as petrol, diesel, and CNG prices are seeing hikes, domestic prices of piped natural gas have remained unchanged since April 1, with domestic PNG priced at ₹47.90 per standard cubic metre in Delhi.
