After petrol, diesel demand has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels as sales rose 8.8 per cent in the first half of October from a year ago, preliminary industry data showed.
This is the first annual increase in sales of diesel – the most consumed fuel in the country – since the nation imposed lockdown in late March to curb the spread of the pandemic.
While demand for petrol has been more resilient than diesel due to an increased preference for using personal vehicles instead of public transport to follow distancing norms, October 1-15 sales number showed better than anticipated recovery.
