CNG crisis in Mumbai triggers long queues, fare surge and transport chaos

CNG pumps across Mumbai and neighbouring areas saw long queues for the second consecutive day on Tuesday (November 18), as supply disruptions caused by damage to a key gas pipeline continued to hamper vehicle refuelling.

A major Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) pipeline was damaged on Monday (November 17), severely impacting fuel supply and affecting thousands of Mumbai residents, as autorickshaws, taxis and other CNG-run vehicles were hit by the disruption.

MGL pipeline damage

Most CNG pumps, including those operated by MGL, saw long queues from early morning, particularly of black-yellow taxis and autorickshaws, with several drivers reporting wait times of three to four hours, compared to the usual 15 to 30 minutes.

According to the Mahanagar Gas Limited, the disruption began on Sunday (November 16) after third-party damage to GAIL's main supply pipeline inside the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) compound affected gas flow to MGL's City Gate Station at Wadala, a key entry point for the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) supply to the city.

MGL on Monday evening said nearly 60 per cent, or 225 of the 389 CNG pumps supplying gas to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, remained operational, and full restoration was expected by Tuesday noon.

Also Read: Delhi airport ATC glitch causes delays in Jaipur; Mumbai retracts advisory

MGL said domestic piped natural gas supply was being prioritised, while industrial and commercial users were told to switch to alternative fuels.

MGL mentioned that the disruption stopped the supply to CNG stations across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, comprising pumps providing services to public transport undertakings.

Cab shortages trigger fare surge

Meanwhile, Mumbai residents reported that auto-rickshaw drivers were demanding inflated fares, citing the ongoing CNG disruption. Both autos and cabs were refusing long-distance trips or charging double and even triple the usual rates, particularly those running on petrol or limited CNG reserves.

An X user posted on Monday that there was "super chaos" at Mumbai Airport, with a severe shortage of Uber, Rapido and other cab services due to the CNG crisis.

“The CNG pipeline damage in Mumbai has caused major problems. Auto drivers are asking for Rs 150-Rs 200 on routes where the meter shows only Rs 89 (MIDC to Andheri),” another user wrote on X, calling on authorities to intervene.

A resident told Hindustan Times that autos were charging up to Rs 500 just to reach the nearest metro station. Another said some people had switched to working from home because of the auto shortage and excessive fares.

Jam-packed BEST buses

With rickshaws and cabs largely missing from the streets, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses became the only option for thousands of office-goers and students.

Long queues formed at stops in Kurla, Chembur, Santacruz, Andheri and Sion, with commuters struggling to board already packed buses. BEST clarified that its services were not disrupted as it receives CNG from MGL through a separate priority supply line.

A student travelling from Kurla to her university in Kalina told The Indian Express that with no autorickshaws available, she was stranded at the bus stop for nearly 30 minutes. “There were no autos anywhere. The buses were packed, and I had to force my way in. A journey that usually takes 15 minutes took almost 40,” she said.

Also Read: Rs 100 cr housing fraud in Mumbai; case filed against builder, others

According to a PTI report, sources in the BEST undertaking said some CNG buses were delayed or forced to shorten routes due to affected supply at a few depots. The utility, however, officially maintained that overall operations remained unaffected.

Auto drivers demand compensation

Leaders of the unions representing black-and-yellow taxis and autorickshaws said drivers were forced to spend extended hours in CNG pump queues because of the outage.

They added that most taxis had gone off the roads after running out of CNG, while the few pumps still operating in the city were unable to maintain adequate pressure.

The head of the Mumbai Autorickshaw-Taximen’s Association has reportedly written to Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, demanding that MGL compensate drivers for two days of lost income, citing the long hours spent waiting for fuel, HT reported.

"I've been waiting in the CNG pump queue since 4 am and I still don't know when my vehicle will be refilled, as there are scores of taxis ahead of me," taxi driver Sitaram Rajak told PTI.

He was waiting in the long queue at the Tardeo MGL CNG pump for refilling. Rajak said he wanted to refill CNG early, hoping to earn well with fewer cabs operating on the roads.

Petrol pumps shut

On Monday also, long queues were seen at several operational pumps across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai as autorickshaws, taxis, school vehicles and app-based cabs scrambled for the limited CNG supply.

Mumbai has around 130-140 CNG stations, including those operated by MGL. Many of these pumps have been non-operational since morning due to low gas supply pressure, Chetan Modi, president of the Petrol Dealers Association (Mumbai) said yesterday, according to PTI.

"I have kept my own pump shut since morning as there is no (gas supply) pressure," Modi said. Pumps with low pressure were forced to either reduce dispensing or shut operations temporarily, petrol dealers said.

Some app-based cabs switched to petrol, but a majority of black-yellow taxis, which removed their petrol option to reduce maintenance costs, had no such fallback and were forced to halt operations, dealers said.

Metro, suburban trains, electric buses to the rescue

With the city’s CNG-run autos and cabs drastically reduced, some relief is coming from over 1,273 electric buses, four Metro lines and the suburban rail network.

Many cab drivers, including those operating on Ola and Uber, shifted to petrol and adjusted their fares accordingly. School bus operators warned that they may not be able to continue services if CNG supply is not restored soon.

Also Read: Kurla BEST bus accident | Driver didn't have mental disorder, was not drunk: Police

Anil Garg, leader of a school bus operators’ association, said their operations had been disrupted by the shortage, forcing schools to merge routes. “Many school buses in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are struggling to get CNG,” Garg told Hindustan Times.

He said around 2,000 school buses had been taken off the roads due to the crisis, prompting operators to hire luxury buses from private contractors at Rs 12,000 for two trips covering just 10 kilometres.

(With agency inputs)