Mumbai is grappling with a severe CNG crisis after a major gas pipeline was damaged, disrupting public and private transport across the city. This incident has not only stranded autorickshaws and taxis but has also forced many to rethink their daily commute as fare prices skyrocket. In this blog, we examine what happened, why it matters, and how the city is coping — all while highlighting what this means for commuters and the transport ecosystem.
What Happened: Pipeline Damage & Supply Disruption
The disruption was triggered by third-party damage to a GAIL pipeline located inside the Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers (RCF) compound.
This damage cut off the flow of gas to Mahanagar Gas Limited’s (MGL) City Gate Station (CGS) at Wadala, a crucial node in Mumbai’s CNG distribution network.
As a result, CNG stations across Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai shut down or operated at severely reduced capacity.
According to MGL, only around 60% of its 389 CNG pumps remain operational during the crisis.
Restoration work is underway; MGL expects gas supply to normalize by 18th November noon.
Importantly, piped natural gas (PNG) supply to homes has continued uninterrupted.
Impact on Transportation
Auto-rickshaws and Taxis
Thousands of auto-rickshaws, city taxis, and app-based cabs (like Ola and Uber) were forced off the road as they couldn’t refuel.
Many drivers parked their vehicles overnight in hopes of refueling once some supply returned.
Fare Hikes & Surge Pricing
The CNG shortage triggered surge pricing on ride-hailing platforms.
For instance, a trip from Mira Road to BKC, normally priced between ₹400–₹450, spiked to over ₹600 during the crisis.
Some taxi and auto drivers reportedly charged over the meter rates due to the scarcity.
Public Buses and School Transport
Some CNG buses (especially BEST buses) and school buses were also affected due to the fuel shortage.
Routes were curtailed, and some depots reported delays as limited fuel hampered dispatch.
Commuters Shift to WFH
With transport reliability shaken and fares rising sharply, many office-goers preferred to work from home rather than brave the chaotic commute.
Economic & Social Implications
Daily Wage Loss: Auto and taxi drivers lost income as they couldn’t operate. Some unions have called for compensation.
Commuter Stress: Long waiting times, reduced availability of autos, and volatile fares have created significant stress for regular commuters.
Operational Costs: School transport operators reported losses or had to reconfigure routes, increasing cost and complexity.
Safety & Infrastructure Concerns: The incident exposed vulnerabilities in Mumbai’s gas infrastructure — a single pipeline failure has widespread repercussions.
Response & Restoration Efforts
MGL is working with urgency to repair the damaged pipeline, and expects partial/full supply restoration by 18 November noon.
Industrial and commercial customers have been advised to switch to alternate fuels temporarily.
The utility is prioritising residential PNG supply to ensure household users are not impacted.
Authorities are under pressure to build redundancy into critical infrastructure to prevent such single-point failures.
Why This Crisis Is a Wake-Up Call
The event underscores how dependent Mumbai is on a single-point pipeline for its CNG transport network.
It highlights the need for better infrastructure planning, redundancy, and emergency protocols.
The crisis may trigger long-term debate on fuel diversification: Should more autos and taxis switch to hybrid or electric, reducing such systemic risk?
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1: What caused the Mumbai CNG crisis?
A: The crisis was caused by third-party damage to a GAIL pipeline inside the RCF compound, which disrupted gas flow to MGL’s City Gate Station at Wadala.
Q2: How many CNG pumps are affected?
A: MGL says around 60% of its 389 CNG pumps are currently operational.
Q3: When will the CNG supply be back to normal?
A: The company expects gas supply to be restored by 18th November noon, once the damaged pipeline is repaired.
Q4: Are household gas supplies (PNG) affected?
A: No — MGL has prioritised piped natural gas (PNG) supply to homes, and this supply has remained unaffected.
Q5: Why are auto/taxi fares increasing?
A: Because the shortage of CNG fuels has reduced the number of operating vehicles and increased demand on ride-hailing platforms, surge pricing has kicked in.
Q6: What can be done to avoid such crises in the future?
A: Possible long-term solutions include building redundancy into pipeline infrastructure, encouraging more public transport vehicles to transition to electric or hybrid fuel, and having contingency fuel supplies.
source credit : Garvit Bhirani
Published on : 18th November
Published by : saranya
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