Mumbai faces long CNG queues for second day after major pipeline damage

CNG pumps across Mumbai and neighbouring areas witnessed long queues for the second straight day on Tuesday, as supply disruptions caused by damage to a key gas pipeline continued to hamper refuelling for vehicles.

Most CNG pumps, including those operated by Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL), saw long queues from early morningparticularly of black-yellow taxis and autorickshawswith several drivers reporting wait times of three to four hours, compared to the usual 15 to 30 minutes.

As per Mahanagar Gas Limited, the disruption began on Sunday after third-party damage to GAIL's main supply pipeline inside the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) compound hit 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.

"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.

MGL on Monday said, "Rectification work is in progress and the restoration of gas supply is expected by November 18 noon."  The Piped Natural Gas supply to households remained unaffected, it added.

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.

Pumps with low pressure were forced to either reduce dispensing or shut operations temporarily, petrol dealers said.

Mumbai city has around 150 CNG pumps, and many remained non-functional since Monday morning due to low gas pressure, according to the Petrol Dealers Association.

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.

Sources in the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking said some of its CNG buses were delayed or forced to curtail routes due to the affected supply at a few depots. The utility, however, officially maintained that operations were unaffected.

MGL said it had prioritised supply to residential consumers and advised industrial and commercial users in affected pockets to shift to alternate fuel until full restoration.

"Gas supplies across MGL's network will normalise once the damage is rectified and supply is restored to CGS Wadala," it said while expressing regret over the inconvenience caused.