Some of Mumbai’s everyday transport, like CNG-powered rickshaws, buses, and taxis, are currently struggling to operate. When a busy city like Mumbai faces a fuel-related problem, it immediately affects daily commuters. That is precisely what happened this week, as a major disruption in the CNG supply created chaos across Mumbai and even at its international airport.
CNG Issue Across Mumbai
The CNG problem arose in Mumbai when a major gas pipeline inside the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) premises was damaged by a third party. According to Mint, this pipeline feeds GAIL’s supply to the City Gate Station (CGS) in Wadala, which is an important entry point for supplying gas across Mumbai. Once the pipeline was damaged, the pressure dropped across the network, and many stations stopped working. The places that are majorly affected are Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai.
Mumbai has around 130–140 CNG stations, and a large number of them stayed non-operational. The shortage quickly turned into long queues at fuel stations. Autorickshaw and taxi drivers waited for hours at pumps in Wadala and other areas. In talks with Hindustan Times, some auto drivers said they did not want to risk running out of fuel later in the day, so they were filling up early in the morning. School buses also faced issues. Operators also admitted that they had to merge routes because many buses could not get CNG in time.
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Long Queues At Mumbai’s International Airport
The issue has now reached the international airport as well. At the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, passengers are struggling to find rickshaws and taxis. Many drivers are refusing long-distance trips because they fear running out of fuel, which has led to long queues outside Terminal 2. On Sunday, around 30 to 40 people were standing in queues, reported Mid-Day. However, the situation at Terminal 1 was very different. During peak hours, there were no autos or taxis at the stands, leaving passengers to look for transport on their own.
Ride-hailing apps also showed higher prices. Trips that usually cost ₹400 jumped to ₹550 or more. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) later said gas supply would return to normal once repairs at Wadala were completed.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ mk_photoz (Representative Image) & Wikimedia Commons/ Innocentbunny