In step with the firming up of global crude oil prices, state-owned oil companies hiked petrol and diesel prices by upto Rs 1.51 and Rs 1.09 per litre, respectively effective from midnight Saturday.

Petrol would cost Rs 33.49 per litre in Delhi as against the prevailing Rs 32.10 a litre while diesel prices have been
increased from Rs 21.21 to Rs 22.12 per litre, official sources said in Delhi.

Petrol prices in Kolkata have been hiked by Rs 1.39 to Rs 35.00 per litre while in Mumbai a litre of petrol would now cost Rs 38.59 as opposed to the prevailing Rs 37.08.

Chennai saw a Rs 1.50 per litre increase in petrol prices to Rs 36.39.

Diesel prices in Kolkata increased from Rs 22.60 to Rs 23.51 per litre. In Mumbai, the hike was of Rs 1.09 per litre to Rs 27.88 while in Chennai diesel prices rose from Rs 23.28 per litre to Rs 24.28 per litre.

The threat of war in Iraq has led to international crude oil prices breach the $37 a barrel mark in March, a trend which is getting reflected in domestic retail prices of petrol and diesel as the country imports 70 per cent of its crude oil requirements.