Petrol and diesel prices were left unchanged for the ninth consecutive day today by state-run fuel retailers as India entered into a 21-day nationwide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus. Crude oil rates have fallen by more than 60% since their January highs but petrol and diesel prices have fallen only by about Rs 6 a litre each during the period.

In Delhi, a litre of petrol is priced at Rs 69.59 per litre and diesel at Rs 62.29 per litre today. In Mumbai, petrol is selling at Rs 75.30 per litre and diesel at Rs 65.21 per litre. In Chennai, a litre of petrol will cost Rs 72.28 per litre whereas diesel is now priced at Rs 65.71 per litre. In Bengaluru, petrol is now selling at Rs 71.97 and diesel at Rs 64.41. In Hyderabad, petrol pumps are charging Rs 73.97 for petrol and Rs 67.82 for diesel. If you are in Gurgaon, you will have to shell out Rs 70.21 for petrol and Rs 62.08 for diesel.

A further drop in fuel rates might be absorbed by a hike in excise duty. Several state governments have also announced increasing VAT on petrol and diesel.