New Delhi: It was around 5.30 pm, and Sanjeev, a cab driver from Greater Noida West, was ready to call it a day. After hours on the road in Delhi, all he wanted was to head home.Right then, a ride request popped up. He accepted it, but not before pleading with his prospective passenger, “Ma’am, please let me fill CNG in Delhi first.” Minutes later, he pulled into the closest fuel pump. As the meter ticked up, so did Sanjeev’s sense of relief.“Of course, gas is cheaper here,” he said. “I always fill up my tank in Delhi. The difference is around Rs 8 to Rs 10 per kg. My cab averages about 10 km/kg on CNG, and I drive nearly 150 km every day. The maths is clear.”Revealing that this ride would fetch him about Rs 440, Sanjeev said he would spend nearly Rs 100 to Rs 120 on fuel, while the app would take 10% commission. “What’s left is what I will take home. With children growing up and expenses constantly rising, even small savings matter,” he added.The tank full, he finally started his cab.Sanjeev is not alone. For years, cab drivers from Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad have gravitated towards Delhi for more rides and higher earnings. Cheaper fuel was an added advantage.However, with the gap between CNG prices in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh widening after recent successive hikes, what was once a bonus is becoming one of the main reasons drivers are crossing over to the capital. Currently, CNG costs Rs 83.09 a kg in Delhi, compared to Rs 91.7 in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. For drivers covering long distances every day, the difference is significant over of a month.At CNG stations along Delhi’s borders, UP-registered cabs often outnumber Delhi vehicles, with many drivers timing their refuelling around trips to the capital. While border-crossing for cheaper fuel is not new, drivers say the economics have changed. What was once a cost-saving hack has become an essential part of managing shrinking margins.Mantu, who drives between Ghaziabad and Delhi daily, said fuel prices influence how he plans his workday. “We try to pick rides to Delhi 90% of the time because the fares are higher. Now, with repeated CNG price hikes, refuelling in Delhi has become a necessity. The NCR cities are connected geographically, but this price difference creates a daily burden for drivers like us,” he said.Industry experts attribute the disparity largely to differences in VAT from one state to another and to local taxation structures. “The variation is primarily driven by state-level taxes. Consumers ultimately have to bear the burden,” said an expert who requested anonymity. “This has been the case for years.”
