CNG pumps in MMR run dry, cabs, autos hit hard

MUMBAI: Several CNG pumps in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) had to close on Friday because of a gas supply cut owing to a technical reason. Public transport, including autos, taxis, buses and some app cabs, were affected. Some private cars too run on CNG. Officials from Mahanagar Gas , which distributes CNG to pumps in MMR, said the problem was temporary and will be rectified soon.They appealed to citizens not to panic and said supply could normalise in a day or two.
About 6.9 lakh vehicles run on CNG in MMR, including 3 lakh private cars, 3.2 lakh autos, 61,000 cabs and 6,100 buses. Close to 40% of taxis and autos went off road on Friday evening as more than a dozen pumps in the island city and suburbs shut.

With boards saying 'no gas supply till further notice'. Sources said one couldn't rule out the possibility of nearly 60% of autos not plying on Saturday unless CNG supply is restored by morning. The crisis led to long queues outside pumps that didn't run out of the fuel. "It is a long queue and I don't know when I will get gas. We will lose a day's earnings, like Rs 500-600," said driver Sunil Mhatre, who is also a union member.
Apart from public transport, nearly 3 lakh private cars in MMR have switched to the green fuel, and weekend travel plans of families owning these might be affected.
Commenting on the cause, a senior MGL official said, "Due to a major technical problem at ONGC's gas processing facility at Uran, gas supply to MGL has been affected in terms of a lower volume of flow and high carryover of condensate (a thick liquid), along with gas. This has resulted in major disruption of gas supply to MGL's City Gate Station at Wadala." It is this gas station from where all outlets in MMR get supply. There are more than 200 outlets in the region, with 131 in Mumbai alone (52 in the island city and 79 in the eastern and western suburbs).
The official said, "MGL is ensuring that supply to its domestic PNG consumers would be maintained on priority without interruption. But many CNG stations across Mumbai may not operate because of low pressure in the pipeline due to low gas availability. It may also impact CNG supply to the state transport undertaking's buses (MSRTC)." Almost 18,000 buses are operated by MSRTC daily, with a huge number plying in MMR.
Thamby Kurien of Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union said, "It is bad for us. Auto drivers in the western suburbs had to rush to the eastern suburbs to get fuel. There were long queues and many could not get CNG."
The situation could be similar for kaali-peelis. A L Quadros of Mumbai Taximen's Union said nearly 60% of taxis could be hit if the problem continued on Saturday.
The absence of a significant number of autos and taxis may affect those arriving by long-distance trains at Mumbai Central, Dadar, CSMT, Bandra Terminus, Borivli, Thane and Kalyan, and flyers who take autos and taxis after arriving at the two airport terminals.