Mumbai Households Face Simultaneous Price Hikes in Gas, Transport, and Milk
Residents across Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region experienced a sharp increase in daily living expenses starting September 1, following simultaneous price hikes across cooking gas, vehicle fuel, public transit fares, and milk.
Mahanagar Gas Ltd increased the price of compressed natural gas by Rs 2 per kg, pushing the rate in Mumbai and surrounding areas from Rs 86 to Rs 88 per kg. Domestic piped natural gas prices also rose by Rs 1 per standard cubic metre, impacting cooking expenses for more than 30 lakh connected households. The utility supplier attributed the price revisions to rising input costs linked to the ongoing Middle East crisis, noting that higher-priced imported spot regasified liquefied natural gas is being used to meet growing demand.
The fuel hike coincides with revised auto and taxi fares across the region. Minimum autorickshaw fares increased from Rs 26 to Rs 27, with the per-kilometre rate adjusted from Rs 17.14 to Rs 18.22. Minimum fares for black-and-yellow taxis rose from Rs 31 to Rs 33, alongside a per-kilometre increase from Rs 20.66 to Rs 21.90. The transport department also revised shared-journey charts, fixing rates between Rs 12 and Rs 81 for autos and Rs 11 to Rs 73 for taxis for distances up to 10 km.
Until electronic meters are recalibrated, drivers must charge passengers using official RTO-approved tariff cards. Operators have three months to recalibrate meters, with costs capped at Rs 700, while RTO flying squads have been deployed to monitor overcharging.
Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union leader Thampy Kurien criticised the overlapping increases, noting that the fuel hike adds to operating expenses for more than 4.5 lakh autorickshaws and tens of thousands of taxis just as the revised passenger fares take effect.
Household budgets took an additional hit as the Bombay Milk Producers' Association raised the wholesale price of buffalo milk by Rs 9 per litre, from Rs 93 to Rs 102. Retail prices across the city are projected between Rs 110 and Rs 112 per litre, with consumers in south Mumbai expected to pay up to Rs 112 per litre compared to the previous Rs 104. The association cited increased expenses for cattle feed, transport, fuel, labour, and maintenance, which pushed the production cost to about Rs 98 per litre. The revised wholesale rate will remain in place until February 28, 2027.
