Mumbai, May 14 -- Commuters and public transport operators across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are set to face higher travel costs after Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) announced a Rs.2-per-kg hike in the retail price of compressed natural gas (CNG), citing global energy market disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict. The revised rates came into effect from 12 am on May 14. "Starting midnight tonight, the price of CNG will increase by Rs.2 per kg, bringing the revised rate to Rs.84 per kg in and around the city," said an MGL official on Wednesday evening. In a statement issued on Wednesday, MGL said, "Due to geopolitical disruptions affecting the global energy supply chain, coupled with increased dependence on expensive gas sources, rising crude oil prices, and rupee depreciation overall, gas procurement costs have risen significantly." The price hike comes amid volatility in global energy markets triggered by the Iran conflict, which has disrupted supply chains and pushed up energy prices worldwide. The hike is expected to have an immediate impact on Mumbai's transport ecosystem, which has increasingly shifted towards cleaner and cheaper fuel alternatives like CNG. Around 1.28 million vehicles in MMR run on CNG. This includes roughly 470,000 autorickshaws, over 160,000 taxis, and more than 500,000 private cars. For the city's autorickshaw operators, the CNG price increase translates to an operational cost jump of approximately Rs.1.03 per km. "This shift pushes the estimated per-kilometre running cost to over Rs.18.3," said an auto union leader. Officials said discussions on revising auto and taxi fares could take place soon. Beyond autos and taxis, the revision will also impact thousands of BEST and state transport buses....