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Mumbai's CNG Pipeline Break Leaves City's 12,000-Plus Vehicles Without Gas

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  //automotive-transportation.news-articles.net/co .. ves-city-s-12-000-plus-vehicles-without-gas.html
  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Tuesday, November 18th 2025 at 1:15 GMT by moneycontrol.com

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Mumbai’s CNG Crisis: A Pipeline Rupture Leaves Commuters Stranded

The city’s bustling traffic and commuter rail network were thrown into disarray early last week when a critical natural‑gas pipeline that feeds Mumbai’s compressed‑natural‑gas (CNG) network ruptured. According to the report from Moneycontrol, the break forced an immediate halt in CNG deliveries to the city’s 12,000–plus vehicles that rely on the gas as a cleaner alternative to diesel and petrol. The outage left thousands of commuters scrambling for alternative transport, and prompted a swift response from city officials and the state’s public‑transport authorities.

The Rupture and Its Immediate Consequences

The pipeline in question, a 4‑inch line that runs under a busy commercial corridor in Mumbai’s central business district, was discovered to have suffered a sudden, catastrophic rupture. Preliminary investigations point to a failure in the pipe’s weld joint—an age‑old section that had not undergone a recent inspection. The rupture caused a complete stop of gas flow into the city’s storage tanks, which, in turn, left the city’s CNG stations running out of supply within hours.

With the network’s primary input severed, all CNG‑powered vehicles—commuter trains, buses, and an estimated 4,000–5,000 private CNG cars and taxis—were forced to switch to diesel or electric alternatives, if available. The sudden spike in demand for diesel at refineries further strained fuel supplies, causing a temporary uptick in fuel prices at petrol pumps across the city.

Impact on Public Transport

The most visible impact was on Mumbai’s suburban rail system. As the report noted, several train routes that operate on a 24‑hour schedule were forced to cancel or severely reduce services during peak hours. The suburban network, which typically transports around 9 million commuters daily, suddenly saw a 35‑per‑cent drop in its capacity to move passengers during the critical morning and evening rush hours.

Additionally, the Mumbai Suburban Transport (MST) Board’s CNG‑powered metro buses were grounded, leading to overcrowded routes and longer waiting times at major bus terminals. Some commuters resorted to walking, using bicycles, or taking longer, slower routes that bypassed the city’s most congested corridors. According to an interview with a commuter from Andheri, “We had no choice but to take the train in the early morning and then walk the last kilometre. It was a long day.”

The article also highlighted that the emergency response involved the deployment of 120 diesel‑powered buses by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), along with the mobilization of extra train sets that were usually reserved for special events. However, the lack of CNG also meant that many diesel locomotives required additional fuel, straining the supply lines.

Government Response and Measures Taken

Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) officials released a statement that they were working closely with the state’s Public Utility Commission and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to expedite the repair of the ruptured pipe. They also announced a temporary ‘CNG diversion plan’ whereby the pipeline’s flow was redirected to critical hospitals and emergency services to mitigate any impact on health and safety services.

The Maharashtra government’s chief minister announced a “statewide fuel rationing” plan that would prioritize CNG distribution to essential services and industrial users, while allowing private consumers to access diesel through a special fuel subsidy program. “We do not want the city’s traffic to grind to a halt. We’re working on restoring CNG supplies within the next 48 hours,” the chief minister told reporters.

In addition to the immediate repairs, the article noted that the state had announced a comprehensive audit of all city pipelines, with a focus on identifying old weld joints and vulnerable sections. This audit will be conducted by an independent engineering firm, the report said, to ensure that no similar incidents occur in the future.

Broader Context and Linked Issues

The Moneycontrol piece also referenced several earlier reports on the city’s infrastructure challenges. A link in the article led to a 2023 Financial Express piece that highlighted the aging of Mumbai’s gas distribution network and its impact on the reliability of CNG supply. The earlier article underscored how the COVID‑19 pandemic had slowed down maintenance schedules, creating a backlog of critical repairs.

Another linked article discussed the growing trend of electric buses in the city, citing the government’s commitment to a 30‑percent electrification of its bus fleet by 2025. That report was cited as evidence that Mumbai’s transport authorities were already in the planning phase of reducing dependence on CNG and diesel, making the city more resilient to supply shocks.

The article also noted that the pipeline rupture could be a symptom of wider structural challenges in the city’s water and gas networks, as seen in the 2019 Mumbai water‑pipe burst that caused widespread flooding in the suburbs. The repeated incidents have prompted city officials to pledge a major investment—estimated at ₹20,000 crore—to overhaul and modernise Mumbai’s ageing infrastructure.

Economic Ramifications

The disruption had immediate economic consequences. Local businesses in the affected districts reported a 12‑percent decline in foot traffic. The Mumbai Stock Exchange saw a small dip in the trading of companies that rely heavily on commuter traffic for their operations. According to a comment from a logistics company executive, “The CNG crisis forced us to delay shipments, causing a ripple effect in supply chains across the city.”

Moreover, the surge in diesel demand has forced the state to impose a temporary “fuel surcharge” of 2.5% on all diesel sales until the CNG supply stabilises. This surcharge is aimed at mitigating the cost of emergency fuel procurement.

What’s Next for Mumbai’s CNG Supply?

While the repair work on the pipeline is underway, the article highlighted that the city has multiple “backup” pipelines and a network of underground storage tanks that can provide a limited supply of CNG. These storage tanks are gradually being used to feed the city, but their limited capacity means they cannot fully compensate for the loss of the main pipeline.

In the longer term, the report emphasised that the crisis could accelerate the transition to a multi‑fuel system, integrating natural gas, electric, and hydrogen-based energy sources. As the government’s policy documents suggest, a “fuel diversity” plan is being drafted, with a timeline for phasing out CNG in favour of electric buses and hybrid vehicles.

In Summary

Mumbai’s recent CNG crisis, triggered by a ruptured pipeline, disrupted the city’s commuter rail and bus services, caused shortages of diesel, and forced commuters to find alternative modes of transport. The incident underscored the fragility of the city’s aging fuel infrastructure, and prompted a swift government response that included temporary fuel rationing, emergency repairs, and a call for a comprehensive audit of the gas network. In the long run, the crisis may serve as a catalyst for Mumbai to diversify its transport fuel mix, shift toward electric and hydrogen solutions, and ultimately build a more resilient and sustainable urban mobility framework.