Delhi Taxi Operators Fume Over E20 Fuel: "Mileage Dropping, So Should Cost!"
Delhi Taxi Operators Fume Over E20 Fuel: "Mileage Dropping, So Should Cost!"
Taxi operators in Delhi protest E20 fuel over plummeting mileage and rising maintenance! Learn how this blend impacts vehicles and livelihoods, and why political leaders are joining the fray. #E20Protest
Taxi operators in the national capital are sounding the alarm over the newly rolled out E20 fuel, a blend of petrol with 20% ethanol, citing significant drops in vehicle mileage and a surge in maintenance costs. Around 100 members of the Delhi Taxi, Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association (DTTTTOA) staged a protest on Tuesday, highlighting the “double blow” to their livelihoods.
The association, Delhi’s largest umbrella organization for transporters, had initially planned a march to Jantar Mantar but were denied police permission. They then headed towards Rajghat, only to find a heavy police presence, leading them to call off the march. Despite the hurdles, a detailed representation was submitted to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging a review of E20 fuel and a broader overhaul of transport regulations affecting commercial operators.
According to the association's memorandum, operators are reporting mileage losses of up to 20% in older vehicles. This starkly contrasts with Mr. Gadkari’s previous statement in Parliament, where he indicated a 2% to 6% reduction in fuel economy depending on the vehicle category. Such a significant drop drastically increases fuel costs, squeezing the already thin operating margins for taxi drivers.
Baljinder Singh, a taxi service owner, lamented the situation, stating, “A vehicle that earlier ran 12 to 13 kilometres per litre now delivers a mileage of only 7 to 8 kilometres, spiking our costs. We can’t simply increase taxi fares because the competition is intense.” He emphasized the need for a corresponding price reduction for E20 fuel if mileage continues to decline, especially since many operators cannot afford to immediately switch to flex-fuel vehicles.
The issue has also garnered political attention. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has called on citizens to join protests against E20 fuel, asserting his party’s commitment to halt its implementation and support those affected. Kejriwal has also alleged that the Centre “yielded” to external pressure regarding the E20 rollout and has demanded the availability of both pure petrol and E20 fuel options at stations, alongside a price reduction for the blended fuel.
Adding to the growing dissent, the Punjab Assembly recently passed a resolution opposing the Centre’s E20 policy. The state voiced concerns over potential vehicle damage from the higher ethanol blend and questioned the accelerated rollout, suggesting it was influenced by external pressure. The nationwide campaign by the AAP against the policy underscores the broad impact and contention surrounding the E20 fuel introduction.
