Mumbai CNG Price Hike Rekindles Auto, Taxi Fare Revision Demand Across MMR

Mumbai: A fresh increase in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) prices has reignited demands for a revision in auto-rickshaw and taxi fares across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), with transport unions warning that drivers are struggling to cope with mounting operational costs.

Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) has raised the retail price of CNG by ₹2 per kg with effect from midnight, taking the rate in Mumbai and the MMR to ₹86 per kg. Domestic PNG prices have also been increased by 50 paise per standard cubic metre (SCM) to ₹52 per SCM. The latest revision comes barely two weeks after the previous hike, adding to the financial burden on drivers who depend on CNG for their daily operations.

Auto-rickshaw and taxi unions have urged authorities to approve a fare revision without delay. Taxi Union President K.K. Tiwari said nearly 30,000 to 35,000 taxi drivers in Mumbai would be affected by the increase. He noted that fare revisions are usually carried out based on recommendations of the Khatua Committee after considering inflation, fuel costs and other operating expenses.

Rickshaw Union President Thambi Kurien said CNG prices have climbed from ₹78 per kg in February 2025 to ₹86 per kg now. According to the prescribed formula, auto-rickshaw fares should be revised upward by around ₹1.13 per kilometre. The union has already approached the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA), seeking a fare revision that could raise the minimum auto-rickshaw fare from ₹17.14 to about ₹18.26 from July 1, subject to approval.

Drivers say the repeated fuel price hikes are steadily reducing their take-home earnings. “A significant portion of our daily income now goes towards fuel,” said auto-rickshaw driver Santosh Yadav. App-based cab driver Imran echoed the concern, saying operating costs continue to rise while passenger fares remain unchanged.

The impact of the latest hike was visible across Mumbai on Friday night, with long queues forming at several CNG stations as drivers rushed to fill their tanks before the revised rates came into effect. With nearly five lakh auto-rickshaw drivers in the MMR dependent on CNG, unions say an early decision on fare revision has become essential to protect livelihoods and maintain the viability of public transport services.

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