Mumbai’s CNG supply hit after blaze at ONGC Uran plant

Gas supply to MGL is crucial from Mumbai as nearly 12 lakh households and 7 lakh vehicles, including taxis, auto-rickshaws, and BEST buses are dependent on PNG and CNG supply, respectively.

At least 44 of 133 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations were non-functional in the city after the supply to Mahanagar Gas Limited’s (MGL) Wadala facility was disrupted on Tuesday following a fire which broke out at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) Uran plant.

Smoke billows from a fire at an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s gas processing plant in Uran area near Navi Mumbai, Tuesday, Sept 3, 2019(PTI Photo)

MGL informed that the supply of piped natural gas (PNG) was unaffected, but fuel supply to several industrial and commercial units was hit.

This was the second time in less than a month that Mumbai faced a severe shortage of CNG due to disrupted gas supply from ONGC’s Uran plant. Earlier, the CNG supply was hit for three days due to undisclosed technical issues at ONGC’s plant from August 16.

Gas supply to MGL is crucial from Mumbai as nearly 12 lakh households and 7 lakh vehicles, including taxis, auto-rickshaws, and BEST buses are dependent on PNG and CNG supply, respectively. MGL informed that the gas supply to the city was partially restored in the afternoon, after which all CNG stations became operation by 3pm. “MGL’s City Gate Station at Wadala has been partially restored and gas supply to various CNG stations and industrial and commercial customers across MGL’s network, is getting progressively normalised,” MGL said in a statement.

“A majority of taxi drivers refuel their vehicles in the evening, so cabbies did not face much of a problem,” said AL Quadros, leader, Mumbai Taximen Union.

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking’s spokesperson said that they did not face problems as there was gas in the pipeline.