Spiking fuel prices are affecting every stratum of society. Those at the bottom of the food chain are grappling with rapidly increasing prices of groceries and other essentials over and above the hardships brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. But even the rich, especially owners of fuel-guzzling supercars, are feeling the heat.
‘I DRIVE OUT MUCH LESS NOW’
Hotelier Prithveer Roychowdhury owns two supercars and every weekend, he used to go out with his friends on short trips. But in the past one year, he has stopped going out so frequently. “While the pandemic has been one of the reasons, the ever-increasing price of fuel is another. It hurts when you have to pay a fortune for petrol. You can imagine the cost every time I refill the 75-litre tank,” he said, adding that he uses refined fuel for his cars that costs around Rs 130 a litre in Kolkata.
Anirudh Agarwal, a student and businessman who’s a proud owner of a supercar, said he bought it in 2019 when the petrol price was around Rs 80. “I used refined fuel, which was more expensive than regular petrol but still affordable. Now it costs around Rs 150 a litre. I used go on short trips three to four times a week, but now I do it once a week,” he said.
Though the owners can still afford the fuel, they find no reason to shell out a fortune every time they refuel. “It’s not a question of whether I can afford it or not, but spending Rs 10,000 every time I refuel my cars is definitely not something desirable,” Parveen Agarwal, a realtor, who owns five supercars.
‘OUR FRIENDS IN THE UK AND THE US ARE PAYING HALF’
The supercar fraternity in Kolkata is like a closest-knit family where everyone knows everyone. Several car owners also have friends overseas. “I can’t help but feel a bit jealous when I talk to my friends in the US and the UK. They are paying half for fuel and investing that money in car accessories. When you have a good car, you want to make it better and they are doing it,” said an owner, who refused to be named.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/supercar-owners-in-kolkata-frustrated-with-fuel-price-hikes/articleshow/84273411.cms
