Delhi CNG Price Hiked ₹2 to ₹83.09/kg — 4th Rise in 11 Days: Complete City-Wise Guide & What It Means for Auto Drivers

CNG was Delhi’s great hope — cleaner, cheaper, locally distributed. Four hikes in 11 days are chipping away at that advantage. Effective from 6 AM today — May 26, 2026 — Delhi CNG is now ₹83.09 per kg. Here is every number you need, why it is happening, and what comes next for the lakhs of Delhiites who depend on CNG every single day.

TODAY’S PRICES — Effective 6 AM, May 26, 2026

Residents in Delhi will now have to pay more for compressed natural gas (CNG) after prices were increased by ₹2 per kg on Tuesday, marking the fourth hike in less than a fortnight amid rising global energy costs. With the latest revision coming into effect from 6 AM on May 26, CNG in the national capital now costs ₹83.09 per kg, up from ₹81.09 earlier.

CNG prices vary by city depending on local taxes, distribution costs and the specific city gas distributor (IGL for Delhi-NCR, MGL for Mumbai, GAIL Gas for other cities).

The Complete Hike Timeline — 11 Days, 4 Revisions, ₹5 Total

The hike on Tuesday follows a Re 1 per kg increase on Saturday (May 23), which itself came after a Re 1 per kg rise on May 17 and a Rs 2 per kg hike on May 15, three revisions in rapid succession before Tuesday’s latest increase.

The total increase across those four revisions: Rs 5 per kg in under a fortnight.

Until yesterday, the CNG rate was ₹81.09 per kg, but after the latest hike, consumers in Delhi will now have to pay ₹83.09 per kg.

The Bigger Picture — Prices Highest Since May 2022

The fresh rates are the highest since May 2022. Prices had largely remained unchanged for more than two years, barring a ₹2 per litre cut announced in March 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Four years of relative CNG price stability — broken in 11 days with four consecutive hikes. The speed and frequency of revisions is what makes this moment historically significant.

For context, a Delhi auto-rickshaw driver who fills 4 kg of CNG per day was paying approximately ₹312.36 per day on May 14. Today, that same fill costs ₹332.36 per day — ₹20 more per day, ₹600 more per month, ₹7,200 more per year — just from this 11-day hike cycle.

Why Is CNG Getting More Expensive? — The Iran War Connection

The recurring hikes reflect the decision by state-run oil companies to pass on the burden of elevated energy costs, which have been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the resulting volatility in global supply chains.

CNG — Compressed Natural Gas — is derived from natural gas. Natural gas pricing, like crude oil, is deeply integrated with global energy markets. The Iran-US-Israel conflict that began February 28, 2026 did not just disrupt crude oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz — it disrupted the entire West Asian energy export ecosystem, of which India is one of the largest importers.

The chain reaction:

Step 1 → Iran conflict disrupts Strait of Hormuz — crude oil AND natural gas shipments affected

Step 2 → Global natural gas spot prices spike alongside crude — Europe and Asia both competing for alternate LNG supplies

Step 3 → India’s city gas distributors (IGL, MGL, GAIL Gas) face sharply higher gas procurement costs from GAIL and other suppliers

Step 4 → IGL passes the cost increase to consumers through successive CNG price revisions

Unlike petrol and diesel (which involve government-controlled OMCs like IOC, BPCL, HPCL), CNG distribution is through private/semi-private entities like Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) — which have less ability to absorb losses over extended periods.

What Is IGL — Who Sets Delhi’s CNG Price?

Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) is the authorised city gas distribution company for Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram. It is a joint venture between GAIL (India) Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Government of NCT of Delhi.

As Indraprastha Gas Limited continues to pass on the pressure of rising global energy costs to consumers, the cumulative rise since May 15 now stands at Rs 5 per kg.

IGL’s CNG pricing follows a formula linked to the cost of natural gas it procures from GAIL and on the open market. When input costs rise, IGL is required to revise consumer prices — it cannot sustain losses like government OMCs can, for limited periods.

Who Is Hit Hardest? — The CNG-Dependent Economy of Delhi

Unlike petrol and diesel, which affect private car owners most directly, CNG price hikes have an outsized impact on Delhi’s commercial transport ecosystem:

1. Auto-Rickshaw Drivers

Delhi has over 2.5 lakh registered auto-rickshaws — almost all CNG-powered. Auto drivers work on thin margins, often earning ₹500–₹800 per day after fuel costs. A ₹5/kg cumulative CNG hike is a significant operating cost increase with no corresponding increase in fares yet.

Taxi unions and commercial transport bodies across Delhi-NCR have been protesting the hikes, demanding both a rollback and upward revisions in fare structures to reflect rising operational costs. Industry groups argue that mounting expenses are making it increasingly difficult for drivers and transport businesses to stay financially viable.

2. App-Based Cab Drivers (Ola, Uber, Rapido)

A large proportion of Delhi-NCR’s app-based cab fleet runs on CNG. Higher CNG prices mean:

• Drivers earn less per trip as fuel costs rise
• Pressure on aggregators to increase base fares
• Potential surge pricing becoming more frequent as supply reduces

3. DTC and Cluster Scheme Buses

A significant portion of Delhi’s public bus fleet — including DTC and the cluster bus scheme — runs on CNG. Higher CNG costs put pressure on operational budgets of these services — potentially affecting frequency and maintenance.

4. Private CNG Car Owners

Delhi has lakhs of private cars converted to CNG, primarily because of the fuel cost advantage over petrol. That advantage is shrinking. At ₹83.09/kg, CNG remains significantly cheaper than petrol (₹102.12/litre) — but the gap is narrowing with every revision.

CNG vs Petrol — The Narrowing Advantage

On a per-kilometre basis, CNG still delivers meaningful savings over petrol for most vehicles — but the equation is changing. Drivers and fleet operators who converted to CNG specifically for the cost advantage are watching these revisions closely.

Will CNG Prices Rise Further?

For daily commuters, commercial vehicle operators and taxi drivers who depend on CNG for its relative affordability over petrol and diesel, the rapid succession of increases is narrowing that advantage with each revision.

Whether further hikes happen depends on two variables:

1. Global Natural Gas Prices If the Iran conflict stabilises and Strait of Hormuz disruptions ease, LNG spot prices will correct — and IGL’s procurement costs will fall, reducing pressure for further revisions.

2. GAIL’s Domestic Gas Allocation IGL’s CNG pricing also depends on how much domestic gas GAIL allocates at administered prices vs how much IGL must procure at market-linked prices. Any reduction in GAIL’s domestic allocation (which happens when government prioritises other uses) forces IGL to buy more expensive market gas.

The consensus: as long as the Iran conflict persists and global energy volatility continues, further CNG revisions cannot be ruled out.

Auto Fare Hike — Is It Coming?

Industry groups argue that mounting expenses are making it increasingly difficult for drivers and transport businesses to stay financially viable.

Delhi auto-rickshaw fares are regulated by the Delhi government and are revised periodically by an official fare revision committee. Unions have been demanding a fare revision to offset the cumulative fuel cost increase since May 15.

Auto fares in Delhi were last revised in early 2023. Given the cumulative ₹5/kg CNG hike in just 11 days — on top of an already elevated base — a formal fare revision application is widely expected in the coming weeks.

Quick Reference — Delhi NCR Fuel Rates Today