Mumbai faced a major CNG disruption over the weekend after a major GAIL pipeline inside the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) compound was damaged. This line is responsible for supplying CNG to Mahanagar Gas Limited’s (MGL) City Gate Station (CGS) at Wadala, which is a major supply point for the city.
Responding to the incident, the company told CNBC-TV18 that the supply line had been damaged early on Sunday. Gas flow was restored briefly, but the pressure stayed very low throughout the day. Several pumps were left reportedly dry. The company expects full supply to return by Tuesday.
MGL responds to CNG pipeline damage in Mumbai
In a statement to CNBC-TV18, MGL said gas supplies across its network will return to normal once repairs are complete and GAIL restores full flow to the Wadala CGS. The company also expressed regret for the trouble caused to consumers. By Sunday evening, some supply was restored to a few CNG stations once initial repairs were done. The full network is expected to stabilise soon.
GAIL’s response to the disruption
GAIL also issued a statement on the incident. In a statement to ET now, the company said the damage was caused by a third party, and the affected pipeline has been fully evacuated as a safety step. Deepak Gupta from GAIL said work is on in full force and they are aiming to finish restoration within 24–30 hours.
According to Gail, they will resume full supply to MGL as soon as the repair work is done. There is no impact on PNG used in homes. The disruption largely affects CNG users and customers. They expect a volume loss of around 1.5–2 mmscmd because of the incident.
Market reaction
Shares of both companies ended higher on Friday despite the disruption. Mahanagar Gas Ltd. closed 1.88% higher at ₹1,255. GAIL (India) Ltd. ended slightly higher at ₹183.80
With gas flow to the Wadala station disrupted, CNG stations across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai were forced to shut down throughout the day. This included pumps dedicated to public transport services.
MGL earlier released a statement confirming the pipeline had suffered “third-party damage” inside the RCF area, without giving details of how the incident took place.
Mumbai’s public and shared transport network felt the immediate impact of the crisis. A huge majority of the city’s autorickshaws, taxis, Ola and Uber cabs, and several BEST buses run on CNG supplied by MGL.
Transport unions said the situation on the ground was chaotic. Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Shashank Rao, President of the Mumbai Auto Rickshaw and Taxi Men’s Union, said drivers have no clarity from MGL about timelines. Only vehicles that had some CNG reserve were able to operate.
