With the Goa government also raising taxes on fuel prices, close on the heels of Karnataka’s move to hike sales tax on fuel, the tendency of vehicle owners residing along the Karnataka-Goa border in Uttara Kannada to cross the border to get refilling of fuel in Goa has come down.

The practice of crossing the border to get fuel in Goa was at its peak, particularly in Karwar and surrounding areas in Uttara Kannada, which shares its border with Goa, when the Karnataka Government announced a hike in fuel prices, running into about ₹3 per litre.

In June, the Karnataka government increased sales tax on petrol and diesel by 3.92% and 4.1%, respectively, making both costlier by about ₹3.

Consequently, the price of petrol went up from ₹99.84 to ₹102.86 and diesel from ₹85.93 to ₹88.94 in Bengaluru. In Karwar, the price is ₹104.70 per litre for petrol and ₹90.50 per litre of diesel.

When the tax hike was implemented in June, neighbouring Goa had not yet revised its tax on fuel.

Then, vehicle users in Karwar had the opportunity to save at least ₹9 per litre of petrol if they crossed Karnataka border to get a refill in the nearest petrol station in the State of Goa.

Travelling just 15 km from Karwar, one reaches a beach in Goa. “After the fuel price hike in Karnataka, as liquor is also cheap in Goa, vehicle owners used to return with both their fuel tanks and bellies filled,” Mangesh Govind Wagh, a newspaper agent in Karwar, said jokingly.

According to Mangesh Wagh, the number of motorists crossing the border for a fuel refill was at its peak initially after the hike in fuel prices by Karnataka by ₹3. Such was the situation that if one purchased 11 litres of petrol in Goa, it was like getting the 12th litre free when compared to the price in Karnataka.

However, the situation is not the same now after the Goa government too hiked VAT on petrol and diesel by ₹1 and 30 paise per litre on June 21. But still petrol in Goa is cheaper compared to Karnataka. The present petrol price in Goa is ₹97 per litre. As far as diesel is concerned, the price difference is less than a rupee.

Still those residing near the border prefer to cross over and get a refill. However, the visits by those in Karwar specifically for a refill has come down as now the difference is less than ₹8, a resident, Jagadish Ambig, said.