Commuters and vehicle owners in Mumbai woke up to costlier fuel on Sunday, November 1, after Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) raised the price of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs 1 per kg to Rs 90 per kg in Mumbai and its surrounding areas. The revised rate took effect from midnight on October 31.

Source: Mirror Now

This is the second consecutive monthly hike by the city gas distributor. MGL had raised the price by Rs 1 per kg to Rs 89 from October 1, after a Rs 2 per kg increase in September took it to Rs 88 per kg. Reports said the latest revision is the fifth CNG price increase in Mumbai this year.

MGL attributed the hike to a sharp rise in the cost of input gas. The company said geopolitical instability in West Asia, involving the United States, Israel and Iran, has pushed up international gas prices, while reduced domestic gas allocation has forced it to rely on costlier sources. The increase, it said, is meant to partially offset those costs and ensure uninterrupted CNG supply.

Source: The Daily Jagran

The hike will affect about 12.93 lakh vehicles across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region that run on MGL-supplied CNG, including auto-rickshaws, taxis, private cars and public transport vehicles run by state and municipal bodies.

Auto-rickshaw and taxi operators have warned of fare pressure if fuel costs keep rising, saying repeated hikes squeeze drivers who are already facing higher running costs ahead of the Diwali festive season. MGL did not announce any separate relief measure for public transport operators or commercial drivers along with the revision.