Major damage to the gas pipeline caused chaos in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. Autorickshaw drivers have doubled fares as long queues of vehicles continue outside CNG pumps even as Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) has assured that supply will resume by today.
What do residents say?
Residents expressed their frustration on social media. One user complained that car drivers are charging ₹150– ₹200 for routes where the meter showed only ₹89 (MIDC at Andheri). Another resident informed HT.com that some rickshaw pullers demand up to ₹500 for a short trip to a nearby metro station.
Autorickshaws are demanding up to ₹500 for a short trip to a nearby metro station, a resident informed HT.com. Another person said some commuters have switched to working from home because of the lack of cars and high prices.
The shortage has also led to a surge in fares on platforms like Ola and Uber. Trip from Mira Road to BKC, price usually between ₹400 a ₹450, exceeded ₹600 on Sunday, an HT report noted. A petrol pump operator noted that many taxis, especially those working for Ola and Uber, had to switch to petrol due to the shortage of CNG.
The disruption occurred after a third party damaged GAIL’s primary pipeline. The damage occurred inside the premises of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF). This in turn affected the flow of gas to the City Gate Station (CGS) in Wadala, which is a key gas supply hub in Mumbai. This disruption in supply led to a reduction in pressure across the network and affected numerous CNG stations across the city.
MGL confirmed the problem on Sunday. “Due to damage to the main gas pipeline inside the RCF compound, gas supply to MGL City Gate Station (CGS) at Wadala has been affected. He added: “MGL is ensuring that the supply of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to domestic consumers is maintained on a priority basis without interruption.
Meanwhile, the head of the Mumbai autorickshaw-taximen’s association has written to Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik asking MGL to compensate drivers who lost two days’ earnings as they had to spend long hours waiting in queues.
