Diesel became costlier than petrol in Delhi on Wednesday for the first time after prices were raised for a record 18th day in a row, PTI reported. The cost of both the fuels was increased every day for the last 17 days.

Indian government-run oil marketing companies raised the rates of diesel by 48 paise per litre across the country. In Delhi, diesel is now priced at Rs 79.88 per litre, while the petrol rate was left unchanged at Rs 79.76 per litre after 17 consecutive increases.

“Diesel price movement is sharper in international market and if oil companies follow the global price trend, diesel prices will remain higher,” an unidentified oil expert from one of the big four audit and advisory firm told IANS. “It is after many years that this happened and is expected to sustain for some time unless government changes the tax structure on petroleum products again.”

Fuel rates are increasing incessantly since oil companies resumed their revision of prices on June 7 after an 82-day-long pause. The freeze in prices was imposed in the middle of March after the government increased excise duty on petrol and diesel to shore up finances.

However, diesel is costlier than petrol only in Delhi among the four metros. The rates differ for every state, based on the value added tax. Petrol costs Rs 86.54 a litre in Mumbai and diesel is priced at Rs 78.22. In Chennai, a litre of petrol is for Rs 83.04 and diesel for Rs 77.17. Meanwhile, petrol is priced at Rs 81.45 per litre and diesel costs Rs 75.06 in Kolkata.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over the rise in prices. “The Modi government has unlocked the corona pandemic and prices of petrol-diesel,” he tweeted.