CNG outage cripples Mumbai during rush hours as autos, cabs stay off road

In its statement, MGL said the gas supply to its Wadala station was hit due to “third-party damage in the main gas supply pipeline of GAIL inside the RCF compound”.

In a statement on Monday evening, MGL said, “Due to third-party damage to main gas supply pipeline of GAIL inside RCF premises at Trombay, the gas supply at MGL’s City Gate Station (CGS) at Wadala has been affected since Sunday. MGL is ensuring supply to its domestic PNG consumers on priority without interruption. However, due to stoppage of gas supply in CGS Wadala and thereby the MGL pipeline network, few CNG stations in Mumbai, Thane & Navi Mumbai are not operational.”

The MGL said that out of MGL’s total 389 CNG stations, 225 CNG stations were operating. “Gas supplies across MGL’s network will normalise once the damage is rectified and supply is restored to CGS Wadala. The rectification work is in progress and the restoration of gas supply is expected by November 18 noon. Inconvenience caused is regretted,” the company added.

Buses jam-packed
With no fuel available through the night, hundreds of autorickshaws, taxis and app-based cabs stayed off the roads. Many drivers said they exhausted their remaining CNG Sunday evening, and without a fresh supply at the pumps, were unable to begin their morning rounds.

Kurla, one of the city’s busiest transit hubs, experienced severe disruption as students and office-goers attempted to reach university campuses, corporate offices, BKC, and hospitals.

With rickshaws and cabs missing from the streets, BEST buses were the only option for thousands of office goers and students.

Long queues were formed at stops in Kurla, Chembur, Santacruz, Andheri and Sion, with commuters struggling to board jam-packed buses. BEST clarified that their services were not disrupted they get CNG supply from MGL through a separate priority line.

Priya Patil, a student travelling from Kurla to her university in Kalina, said that with no autorickshaws available, she was stuck for nearly 30 minutes at the bus stop.

“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.

Long wait
Autorickshaw driver Sameer Shaikh, who operates near Kurla West, said he had been waiting since dawn for CNG.
“Passengers were pleading for rides, but what can we do? There is no CNG. We are just sitting in our autos, helpless. I waited at the petrol pump for one and a half hours, but there was no fuel. We have no option but to just park the autos,” he said.

One of the clearest signs of the crisis was visible at a Santacruz petrol pump, where nearly 100 cars, autos and app-based cabs queued up before sunrise, hoping for CNG. The queue spilled out of the station and stretched almost 100 metres onto the main road, slowing traffic and adding to Monday morning congestion.

Rakesh Pawar, an Ola driver, said he had been in line since 6 am. “Everyone thought supply would start in the morning. But the pump has been dry since yesterday. The entire line has not moved,” he said.

Another driver, Imran Khan, said they are suffering losses. “People think we are refusing passengers. We can’t even start our vehicles. The whole city is waiting for gas,” he said.

Sahil Jadhav, a student who travels from Santacruz to Kalina campus, said, “It felt like an unannounced transport shutdown.”

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