Mumbaikars face higher travel and household expenses from September 1 as CNG, domestic PNG and auto-taxi fares rise. MGL increased CNG by Rs 2 to Rs 88/kg and PNG by Rs 1/SCM, citing higher input costs. The minimum auto fares have risen to Rs 27, while black-and-yellow taxi fares increased to Rs 33. Revised per-kilometre fares have also taken effect across MMR.
Mumbaikars are set to face a double hit to their daily travel and household expenses from Tuesday, September 1, with CNG and domestic PNG prices increasing and auto-rickshaw and taxi fares also going up across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) has increased the price of CNG by Rs 2 per kg, taking the revised rate to Rs 88 per kg in and around Mumbai from September 1. The company has also raised the price of domestic piped natural gas (PNG) by Rs 1 per standard cubic metre (SCM). The revised prices came into effect from midnight on August 31.
MGL attributed the increase to a sharp rise in input gas costs linked to international indices amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. According to the company, rising demand for CNG has forced it to source a significant portion of its requirement through imported spot regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), which has become more expensive.
The company said the latest price revision was aimed at partially offsetting higher procurement costs while ensuring an uninterrupted and sustained supply of natural gas. The CNG hike is expected to affect lakhs of vehicle owners across Mumbai and surrounding areas, including autorickshaw drivers, taxi operators and private motorists. The increase in domestic PNG prices will also add to the monthly fuel expenses of households using piped gas.
Adding to the burden on commuters, the minimum fares for auto-rickshaws and black-and-yellow taxis in the MMR have also been increased from September 1. The minimum fare for an auto-rickshaw has increased by Rs 1 to Rs 27, while the minimum fare for a black-and-yellow taxi has risen by Rs 2 to Rs 33.
However, the revised fares are applicable from September 1, and drivers who fail to recalibrate their meters within the stipulated period could face penalties. More than 4.5 lakh autorickshaws and 50,000 black-and-yellow taxis operate across the MMR, with most of these vehicles running on CNG.
The last fare hike of Rs 3 each for taxis and autorickshaws in the MMR came into effect on February 1 last year. With CNG prices now also increasing, commuters and transport operators are likely to feel the impact of the latest twin fare revisions.
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