Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) secured additional gas from Gujarat Gas and operated four other city gate stations at Mahape, Ambernath, Taloja and Raigad to keep cooking gas, commercial supply and BEST bus refuelling uninterrupted during the three-day CNG crisis, managing director Ashu Shingal said, according to TOI.
MGL implemented a controlled supply mechanism across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, shutting some CNG pumps while ensuring that at least one or two outlets per neighbourhood continued operating at low pressure. This helped prevent autorickshaw and taxi services from coming to a halt, he said.
Shingal said MGL had laid a 3.5km parallel pipeline to the GAIL line and expects it to be completed by February 2026. In the event of future disruptions, MGL plans to switch supply to this alternate line.
Pipeline damage under inquiry; financial losses reported
Shingal described the recent pipeline damage at RCF’s Chembur compound as surprising given the area’s protected status. According to sources, the incident occurred after drilling by a third-party contractor severely damaged the GAIL India pipeline situated about 8ft underground, disconnecting supply to MGL’s Wadala station.
An inquiry is under way and the contractor is expected to face penalties, the sources said. MGL incurred losses of over ₹2 crore, while CNG pump operators lost nearly ₹40 crore in revenue during the 48-hour disruption.
Drivers, commuters face long queues and service shortages
Some autorickshaw drivers reported that the gas supplied at a few outlets was ‘rich gas’, causing vehicles to stall immediately, union representative Thampy Kurien said.
Long queues of 1–2km formed outside refuelling stations across the city and suburbs, with drivers waiting two to three hours at company-owned pumps that operated until 3am. Many commuters struggled to find autos and taxis, often walking more than a kilometre to railway stations.
There were also complaints of drivers overcharging passengers, with fares reportedly reaching three times the usual rate.
Anil Garg, president of the School Bus Owners’ Association, said around 2,000 school buses in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region run on CNG, but the segment was not given priority during the disruption.
