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CNG crisis in Mumbai: Long queues of vehicles, chemical truck accident in Thane disrupts traffic
Mumbai, November 17, 2025: There has been a major disruption in CNG supply in and around the capital of Maharashtra since this morning, causing immense hardship to lakhs of vehicle owners. Gas supply at the City Gate Station (CGS) in Wadala was disrupted due to damage to the main gas supply pipeline due to a third-party incident at the National Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) complex. As a result, supply has been limited at several CNG stations in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, leading to long queues of auto rickshaws, taxis and other CNG vehicles. On the other hand, in a horrific accident that took place late on Sunday night in Thane district, a chemical-laden truck hit a tree, disrupting traffic for an hour. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident, but the fire brigade and police administration took immediate action to prevent the possibility of chemical leakage.
The CNG crisis in Mumbai began late on Sunday night. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) issued an official statement saying that a third-party incident at the RCF complex has damaged the main gas pipeline. This directly affected the CGS in Wadala, which led to a drop in pressure in the entire network. "We are making all possible efforts, but the supply will remain limited," MGL said in a statement. The crisis has led to pumps being shut down or running at half capacity at many of the more than 500 CNG stations in Mumbai. As a result, the city's public transport system has been hit. CNG taxis and thousands of auto rickshaws operating on aggregator platforms like Ola and Uber are facing hours-long queues to refuel. By noon, queues of vehicles at major CNG stations in Byculla, Andheri, Borivali and Thane-Navi Mumbai had grown to at least 500 metres. "We have to refuel once a day, but we have been standing in queues for two hours since this morning. Commuters are getting upset and our business has collapsed." Public bus services have also been affected, with some buses of organisations like BEST and MTM depending on CNG supply, causing disruption to their schedules. MGL estimated that there are over 1 lakh CNG vehicles in the entire city, due to which the crisis is seriously affecting daily life in the city. According to experts, the crisis could last for at least 24 hours or more, till the pipeline is repaired. The municipal corporation has called an emergency meeting in this regard and plans are being made for alternative fuel supply. Efforts are underway to start stations using diesel generators in some places.
The truck accident in Thane district is the second major demonstration against the crisis. At 11:31 pm on Sunday, a chemical-laden truck lost control on a major road in Thane city and hit a tree. The collision also damaged a street lamp post and an auto rickshaw along with the truck. Fortunately, neither the truck driver nor any other person was injured. According to police sources, the truck was loaded with a chemical called polymer dispersion, which is used for clothing, paper, packaging coatings and construction materials. Although the chemical is not flammable, it can pose an environmental hazard if leaked. Traffic was disrupted for an hour after the accident, causing inconvenience to local residents.
A senior police inspector from Thane police station said, "As soon as the incident was reported, the fire brigade, disaster management team and we reached the spot. The chemical in the truck has been safely removed, and the driver has been given a leave of absence and an investigation is underway." The fire brigade said that special equipment was used to prevent chemical leakage. Since the accident took place on the Thane-Mumbai highway, traffic congestion is likely to increase in the morning. The local administration has appealed to drivers to be careful and has started repair work on the road immediately.
Both incidents in Maharashtra are highlighting the state's infrastructure dependency and safety issues. The CNG crisis has hit the state government's drive to reduce pollution, with experts calling for increased use of alternative fuel sources in the city. The Thane accident has highlighted the need for strict compliance with chemical transport rules. Currently, MGL is carrying out repairs at a rapid pace and is hopeful that supply will be restored by tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, motorists have been urged to be patient and avoid queues.
Mumbai, November 17, 2025: There has been a major disruption in CNG supply in and around the capital of Maharashtra since this morning, causing immense hardship to lakhs of vehicle owners. Gas supply at the City Gate Station (CGS) in Wadala was disrupted due to damage to the main gas supply pipeline due to a third-party incident at the National Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) complex. As a result, supply has been limited at several CNG stations in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, leading to long queues of auto rickshaws, taxis and other CNG vehicles. On the other hand, in a horrific accident that took place late on Sunday night in Thane district, a chemical-laden truck hit a tree, disrupting traffic for an hour. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident, but the fire brigade and police administration took immediate action to prevent the possibility of chemical leakage.
The CNG crisis in Mumbai began late on Sunday night. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) issued an official statement saying that a third-party incident at the RCF complex has damaged the main gas pipeline. This directly affected the CGS in Wadala, which led to a drop in pressure in the entire network. "We are making all possible efforts, but the supply will remain limited," MGL said in a statement. The crisis has led to pumps being shut down or running at half capacity at many of the more than 500 CNG stations in Mumbai. As a result, the city's public transport system has been hit. CNG taxis and thousands of auto rickshaws operating on aggregator platforms like Ola and Uber are facing hours-long queues to refuel. By noon, queues of vehicles at major CNG stations in Byculla, Andheri, Borivali and Thane-Navi Mumbai had grown to at least 500 metres. "We have to refuel once a day, but we have been standing in queues for two hours since this morning. Commuters are getting upset and our business has collapsed." Public bus services have also been affected, with some buses of organisations like BEST and MTM depending on CNG supply, causing disruption to their schedules. MGL estimated that there are over 1 lakh CNG vehicles in the entire city, due to which the crisis is seriously affecting daily life in the city. According to experts, the crisis could last for at least 24 hours or more, till the pipeline is repaired. The municipal corporation has called an emergency meeting in this regard and plans are being made for alternative fuel supply. Efforts are underway to start stations using diesel generators in some places.
The truck accident in Thane district is the second major demonstration against the crisis. At 11:31 pm on Sunday, a chemical-laden truck lost control on a major road in Thane city and hit a tree. The collision also damaged a street lamp post and an auto rickshaw along with the truck. Fortunately, neither the truck driver nor any other person was injured. According to police sources, the truck was loaded with a chemical called polymer dispersion, which is used for clothing, paper, packaging coatings and construction materials. Although the chemical is not flammable, it can pose an environmental hazard if leaked. Traffic was disrupted for an hour after the accident, causing inconvenience to local residents.
A senior police inspector from Thane police station said, "As soon as the incident was reported, the fire brigade, disaster management team and we reached the spot. The chemical in the truck has been safely removed, and the driver has been given a leave of absence and an investigation is underway." The fire brigade said that special equipment was used to prevent chemical leakage. Since the accident took place on the Thane-Mumbai highway, traffic congestion is likely to increase in the morning. The local administration has appealed to drivers to be careful and has started repair work on the road immediately.
Both incidents in Maharashtra are highlighting the state's infrastructure dependency and safety issues. The CNG crisis has hit the state government's drive to reduce pollution, with experts calling for increased use of alternative fuel sources in the city. The Thane accident has highlighted the need for strict compliance with chemical transport rules. Currently, MGL is carrying out repairs at a rapid pace and is hopeful that supply will be restored by tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, motorists have been urged to be patient and avoid queues.
The CNG crisis in Mumbai began late on Sunday night. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) issued an official statement saying that a third-party incident at the RCF complex has damaged the main gas pipeline. This directly affected the CGS in Wadala, which led to a drop in pressure in the entire network. "We are making all possible efforts, but the supply will remain limited," MGL said in a statement. The crisis has led to pumps being shut down or running at half capacity at many of the more than 500 CNG stations in Mumbai. As a result, the city's public transport system has been hit. CNG taxis and thousands of auto rickshaws operating on aggregator platforms like Ola and Uber are facing hours-long queues to refuel. By noon, queues of vehicles at major CNG stations in Byculla, Andheri, Borivali and Thane-Navi Mumbai had grown to at least 500 metres. "We have to refuel once a day, but we have been standing in queues for two hours since this morning. Commuters are getting upset and our business has collapsed." Public bus services have also been affected, with some buses of organisations like BEST and MTM depending on CNG supply, causing disruption to their schedules. MGL estimated that there are over 1 lakh CNG vehicles in the entire city, due to which the crisis is seriously affecting daily life in the city. According to experts, the crisis could last for at least 24 hours or more, till the pipeline is repaired. The municipal corporation has called an emergency meeting in this regard and plans are being made for alternative fuel supply. Efforts are underway to start stations using diesel generators in some places.
The truck accident in Thane district is the second major demonstration against the crisis. At 11:31 pm on Sunday, a chemical-laden truck lost control on a major road in Thane city and hit a tree. The collision also damaged a street lamp post and an auto rickshaw along with the truck. Fortunately, neither the truck driver nor any other person was injured. According to police sources, the truck was loaded with a chemical called polymer dispersion, which is used for clothing, paper, packaging coatings and construction materials. Although the chemical is not flammable, it can pose an environmental hazard if leaked. Traffic was disrupted for an hour after the accident, causing inconvenience to local residents.
A senior police inspector from Thane police station said, "As soon as the incident was reported, the fire brigade, disaster management team and we reached the spot. The chemical in the truck has been safely removed, and the driver has been given a leave of absence and an investigation is underway." The fire brigade said that special equipment was used to prevent chemical leakage. Since the accident took place on the Thane-Mumbai highway, traffic congestion is likely to increase in the morning. The local administration has appealed to drivers to be careful and has started repair work on the road immediately.
Both incidents in Maharashtra are highlighting the state's infrastructure dependency and safety issues. The CNG crisis has hit the state government's drive to reduce pollution, with experts calling for increased use of alternative fuel sources in the city. The Thane accident has highlighted the need for strict compliance with chemical transport rules. Currently, MGL is carrying out repairs at a rapid pace and is hopeful that supply will be restored by tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, motorists have been urged to be patient and avoid queues.
