Mumbai: Residents of Mumbai are facing another increase in fuel prices after oil marketing companies on Tuesday raised petrol and diesel rates for the second time within a week amid rising global crude oil prices linked to the ongoing Iran conflict. With the latest revision, petrol prices in Mumbai have climbed by 91 paise to Rs 107.59 per litre, while diesel has become costlier by 94 paise and is now retailing at Rs 94.08 per litre.

The latest increase comes just three days after fuel prices were raised by Rs 3 per litre on Friday, majorly increasing transportation and commuting costs for Mumbaikars already dealing with inflationary pressure. The fresh hike is largely driven by the sharp surge in international crude oil prices due to tensions in West Asia, particularly disruptions linked to the conflict involving Iran.

According to data released by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell under the Petroleum Ministry, the average price of India’s crude oil basket has jumped from USD 69.01 per barrel in February 2026 to USD 110.73 per barrel as of May 15, an increase of over 60 per cent in less than three months.

The situation has been worsened by disruptions in cargo movement through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a major share of India’s crude oil imports traditionally passes. India imports more than 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements, making domestic fuel prices highly sensitive to global market fluctuations.

Mumbai, being one of the country’s largest metropolitan and commercial hubs, is likely to feel the impact more sharply due to its heavy dependence on road transport, logistics and daily commuting.

Taxi operators, app-based cab drivers and transporters have already started expressing concern over the rising operational costs. The repeated hikes are also expected to affect prices of essential goods and services, as transportation expenses rise across the supply chain.

Another factor contributing to the price rise is the weakening of the Indian rupee against the US dollar. With the rupee reportedly touching around 96 against the dollar, oil imports have become more expensive for Indian refiners and oil companies.

Despite the earlier Rs 3 increase, oil marketing companies were reportedly still facing losses after maintaining older fuel rates for nearly 10 weeks amid continuously rising global crude prices. It is also speculated that if geopolitical tensions in West Asia continue or escalate further, Mumbai and other major Indian cities could witness additional fuel price increases in the coming weeks.

Mumbai: Mayor Ritu Tawde faced an embarrassing situation on Tuesday morning after a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus carrying her reportedly broke down during an official inspection tour, delaying the scheduled civic visit and once again raising concerns over the condition of Mumbai’s public transport fleet.

According to reports, Tawde was travelling as part of a pre-monsoon inspection and review tour organised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation when the BEST bus developed a technical snag midway through the journey.

The unexpected breakdown forced civic officials, staff members and accompanying personnel to halt the tour temporarily before alternate arrangements were made to continue the inspection. A video shared by media portal Jai Maharashtra showed BEST and civic officials pushing the vehicle after it broke down midway.

BEST officials and technical teams had rushed to the spot after the bus stopped functioning. The vehicle was reportedly repaired within around 20 minutes, after which the journey resumed. No injuries or safety concerns were reported, though the incident caused disruption during the high-profile civic visit.

The episode has once again brought attention to the operational challenges faced by BEST, which has been under scrutiny in recent months over its ageing fleet, maintenance standards, delays and frequent breakdown complaints from commuters.

Meanwhile, the incident occurred on the same day the Mayor chose to travel by Mumbai’s suburban railway network as part of a symbolic public transport outreach linked to fuel-saving efforts and monsoon preparedness inspections.

Earlier in the day, Tawde travelled from Ghatkopar to Dadar in an AC local train while heading for inspections of key stormwater pumping stations, including Britannia, Lovegrove and Cleveland, which play a critical role in preventing flooding during Mumbai’s monsoon season.

Videos of the Mayor’s train journey later went viral on social media. In the clips, Tawde can be seen standing in a queue at Ghatkopar station, boarding the AC local without VIP protocol and initially travelling while standing before a fellow passenger offered her a seat.

The Mayor was also seen interacting with commuters during the journey and travelling with minimal security presence, which did not appear to disrupt fellow passengers during rush hour.

Mumbai: Municipal Corporation is using modern technology to keep the beach and the surrounding area clean. In this regard, unmanned electric boats (electric boats) have been started in the Gateway of India and Budhwar Park areas to collect floating waste in the sea. These boats collect about 80 to 90 kg of floating waste from these areas daily.

As per the instructions of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, various steps are being taken under the supervision of Ashwini Bhide, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi and Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar.

In this context, under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner (Zone-1) Chanda Jadhav and under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner (A Division) Gajanan Belle, two unmanned electric boats have been operated in the Bharati Kendra and Budhwar Park areas of the ‘A’ Division of the Municipal Corporation. These boats are fully electric and are environment-friendly. They have a Vehicle Traffic Management System (VTMS) and a Global Positioning System (GPS), through which the navigation, working area and safety of the boat can be controlled. These boats are capable of carrying out the work of collecting floating waste at sea more efficiently and in a planned manner.