Mumbai, 18 November 2025 \u2013 The city’s transport network faced significant disruption on Monday owing to a major breakdown in the supply of compressed natural gas that adversely affected the running of auto-rickshaws, taxis, and BEST buses across the metropolis. The disruption is forcing the commuters to look for options and creating long queues at the few operational CNG stations, with the city facing deprivation of this important fuel for public and commercial transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The leak was caused by a rupture in the CNG pipeline owned by GAIL India Ltd, which is situated inside the RCF compound in Chembur. The leakage has disrupted the supply of gas to the Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) network, which supplies compressed natural gas to thousands of vehicles throughout the city. According to officials, the rupture occurred early on Monday morning, leaving little time for immediate remedial action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Autos and taxis running on CNG were thus forced to keep off the roads, while about 44% of the BEST bus fleet running on CNG was turned non-operational. Commuters reported severe inconvenience in reaching workplaces and schools across the city, with many having to revert to private vehicles, rideshares, or longer walks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The situation is unprecedented. My auto-rickshaw is out of service today, and I had to cancel multiple bookings,” said Ramesh Tiwari, a driver operating in the central suburbs. “Passengers are angry, fares are skyrocketing, and many have no alternative but to walk or wait endlessly for another vehicle.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The disruption has hit suburban areas especially hard, where public transport is the primary mode of transport. BEST buses on key routes were either cancelled or ran extremely late, causing inconvenience to thousands of office-goers and students. MGL officials have issued advisories, asking commuters to plan their travel in advance and expect delays. \u201cWe are working to restore supply as quickly as possible. Technicians have been sent to repair the pipeline, and we expect to resume normal operations by Tuesday afternoon,\u201d said a spokesperson for MGL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CNG fueling stations also saw a scramble, with the drivers seeking to stock up the remaining supplies before the outage worsens. Many of them ran out of fuel within hours of opening, forcing commuters to wait in long queues. The city’s public transport network, which relies heavily on CNG for sustainability and low emissions, now faces a stern test in contingency planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This disruption has also brought into question the resilience of Mumbai\u2019s transport infrastructure. Experts have cautioned that reliance on a single source of supply for CNG means widespread inconvenience in case technical failures do occur. \u201cMumbai\u2019s transport system is highly dependent on compressed natural gas. Any disruption in supply can bring mobility to a grinding halt for a substantial portion of the city\u2019s population. There is a dire need for diversifying the fuel sources and putting in place backup mechanisms,\u201d said transport analyst Dr. Anjali Mehta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CNG outage comes at a time when the city is seeing increased traffic due to festivals and year-end commercial activities. With petrol and diesel vehicles already contributing to congestion and pollution, the absence of a large section of CNG-powered public transport has compounded the challenge further. Commuters said they are facing longer waiting times at bus stops and more crowding in trains and remaining operational services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities have advised commuters to explore alternative modes of travel such as shared taxis, two-wheelers, and metro services wherever possible. MGL and BEST Corporation are working in close coordination with the municipal corporation for expediting repair work and restoring full services at the earliest. Arrangements for emergency fuel supply are also being considered to reduce disruption over the next few days. For people relying on the public transport system, this incident brings to the forefront how city logistics can be vulnerable should there be infrastructure failures. While this is a technical immediate problem, it does underline the importance of long-term planning for resilient urban mobility systems. Citizens and transport operators are hoping for restoration at the earliest, as normalcy is crucial to the functioning of India’s financial capital.
In the end, this CNG disruption in Mumbai has illustrated the significance and fragility of the city’s public transport network. While repairs are still underway, commuters face temporary inconvenience, as well as a need for city authorities to strengthen preventative measures toward the future. As the resolution may fall within the next 24\u201336 hours, it is hoped that Mumbai\u2019s CNG-powered fleet would soon return to the roads to restore the mobility of millions of city residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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