Mumbai Faces Major Fuel Shortage After CNG Pipeline Damage In Wadala; Internet Flooded With Visuals Of Long Queues At Petrol Pumps

Mumbai: Mumbai witnessed widespread commute delays and transport inconvenience on Monday morning after a large-scale gas supply disruption left several compressed natural gas (CNG) pumps non-operational across the city.

Long Queues Seen Outside Multiple Petrol Pumps

A day after the sudden breakdown in supply, long queues of autos, taxis and aggregator cabs were seen snaking around multiple fuel stations, creating traffic buildup on adjoining roads. Visuals circulating online showed kilometres-long lines of public transport vehicles waiting for their turn to refuel, while many drivers claimed they had been waiting for hours through the night to secure CNG.

What Caused Massive Gas Supply Disruption?

The fuel supply disturbance hit several parts of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai after third-party pipeline damage inside the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) plant premises reportedly affected the main gas pipeline of GAIL, leading to reduced gas flow to the Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) City Gate Station located at Wadala. The sudden disruption caused an immediate halt or slowdown in operations at multiple CNG pumps, particularly those frequented by public transport fleets that rely almost entirely on CNG for daily functioning.

The breakdown had a direct impact on early morning commuters who were left struggling to find autos and taxis for office and school travel. Passengers across Byculla, Kurla, Sion, Chembur, Borivali, Andheri, Mulund and Vashi reported limited availability of rides, while several app-based cab fares surged due to reduced supply.

A spokesperson for Mahanagar Gas Limited confirmed that domestic piped natural gas (PNG) supply has been prioritised, ensuring households remain unaffected during the crisis. The spokesperson added that efforts were underway to gradually restore regular supply to CNG stations across the network.

Restoration Of Services Likely In About 24-30 Hours

In addition, GAIL executive Deepak Gupta told ETNow that the disruption stemmed from third-party damage to their key pipeline and that restoration work was being completed on priority. He estimated the process could take about 24 to 30 hours, with a temporary volume loss of 1.5–2 million metric standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd).

Meanwhile, industrial and commercial gas consumers have been asked to switch to alternative energy sources until normal supply resumes. MGL has assured full restoration once repair work is completed and operations at the Wadala City Gate Station return to normal levels, apologising to the public for the inconvenience caused.

(With inputs from Kamal Mishra)

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