The rates of most affordable snacks available in the city—vada pav, bhaji pav and samosa pav—have increased by Rs 2 to Rs 5 in view of the hike in rates of edible oils and commercial cylinders due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Sellers said they cannot continue to sell at the earlier price anymore and added that prices of other ingredients, such as chillies, too, had increased.

Nilesh Thakkar, who runs Rajmata Vada Pav Snack Centre from the past 35 years, said, “It is not affordable to sell vada pav at the earlier rate anymore. The price of commercial cylinders has increased by around Rs 200 and we now have to pay Rs 2,400 for each cylinder. Similarly, refined oil prices have also been hiked from around Rs 1,400-Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,400. Chilli is also now available at Rs 100 per kilo. So, we had to increase the rate too. If we don’t, we would not be able to run our shops.”