Chennai: The thought of fuel price hike may make you assume that it is affecting only the poor section of the society. But the fact is, people who own cars too have switched to bicycles as a mode of healthy and efficient mode of transport. Many people are also opting to travel by trains and the newly launched Metro rail for work.

For example, N Nagarajun, who is a software professional, regularly uses a bicycle to travel for his job at Chennai’s IT Corridor. He has quit using SUV to travel for work and started using a bicycle. He can be seen pedaling a total of 20 km every day. As the petrol price has touched a new high of Rs. 85 a litre, the techie says that the high fuel prices are affecting his savings for his little daughter.

He says, “Consistent savings make a big difference. If I fill around 800 litres of petrol in a year and if there is Rs. 10 increase in fuel prices during that period, it’s a good idea to keep the car at home and save that amount for my daughter’s future.”

In the same city, another one named Dr. Praise Ambrose, who is a dentist by profession, has also opted to use Metro Train instead of his car. He travels by using Metro rail from his residence in Anna Nagar and covers nearby areas. He does mind walking the rest of the way of little distance from the station to reach his destination.

He says, “First of all the fuel is expensive, then traffic jams slow you down and also affect the mileage. It adds to my expenses. The government should consider strengthening the public transport system and must take steps to reduce the tax on fuel.”

We are not only talking about techies and other high-end professions here. A profession like Fishing as a livelihood to has been affected due to the diesel price hike. Many fishermen are not going to the sea only for this reason. In Rameswaram, about 800 motorboats are seen parked even at the time of work and this is in protest over the price rise. The fishermen community seek subsidized diesel prices to run their boats.

Udhaya Kumar says, “We are unable to operate our boats. It’s a scary situation.”

T Thennarasu, who is the chief of the fishermen’s association in Chennai, says “If we get subsidized fuel, then perhaps we can revive fishing.”

The government at the Centre blames the high fuel price as a compelling measure introduced to meet the international crude oil prices in the market along with a declining value of rupee against the dollar. Despite representations and protests across the country to bring the fuel costing formula under the GST, the government at the Centre does not seem to be nudging from its stance. Even the government in the state of Tamil Nadu has made it clear that it cannot cut the tax levied on the fuel.

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