People in Mumbai on Monday woke up to a nightmare: petrol prices in the Maharashtra capital stood at Rs 80.10 per litre, while diesel rose to Rs 67.10.

In Delhi, petrol prices stood at Rs 72.23 per litre. In Lucknow, the cost of one litre petrol is now Rs 73.94, while in Patna it has now reached Rs 76.55, reported India Today.

Petrol prices have been on rise for the last three weeks, while diesel prices have been increasing on a daily basis over the past two weeks.

The Times of India reported that since January 1, petrol price increased by Rs 2.09 per litre, while diesel price increased by Rs 3.2 a litre. Experts claim that the price increase in the first three weeks of the new year is the highest. They also said the rise will affect the inflation in the coming days. Petrol and diesel prices constitute 20% of the total composition of the inflation index.

On Sunday, Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan said the government was trying to bring petrol, diesel and kerosene under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

He asserted that the rise in fuel prices in the international market has pushed the fuel prices in India as well.

Experts believe that once brought under the GST, prices of petrol and diesel are likely to stabilise and may remain within the Rs 50-mark.

According to The Hindu Business Line, there is growing pressure on both the Centre and the states to lower taxes on the two fuels and bring them under GST. However, a greater challenge before the GST Council will be fitment of tax rates for them. If 28% GST is levied, petrol in Delhi will cost around â¹45 a litre, down from the current â¹72.