Deputy CM Eknath Shinde drove an Audi car from Igatpuri in Nashik district of Maharashtra for a few kilometers accompanied by CM Fadnavis and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, while on their return journey, the trio travelled together with Fadnavis taking over the steering of the vehicle
CM Fadnavis along with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took a car ride on the newly opened route during the inspection of the highway. Pic/X
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, who inaugurated the final stretch of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway on Thursday, swapped the driver's seat with his deputy Eknath Shinde.
CM Fadnavis along with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took a car ride on the newly opened route during the inspection of the highway.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde drove an Audi car from Igatpuri in Nashik district of Maharashtra for a few kilometers accompanied by CM Fadnavis and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, while on their return journey, the trio travelled together with Fadnavis taking over the steering of the vehicle.
At the inauguration, Fadnavis, deputy CMs Shinde and Pawar were present along with a few state ministers at Igatpuri, located about 140 km from Mumbai.
For the inspection, first Deputy CM Shinde drove the car with CM Fadnavis sitting on the front seat beside him and Ajit Pawar occupying the back seat with two bureaucrats.
The inspection lasted around 45 minutes, including the time taken for the journey. The drive was up to the viaduct, which is the tallest on the expressway.
On the way back, the car was changed and Fadnavis and Shinde swapped seats with the CM getting behind the wheel and Shinde sitting beside him, while Pawar remained in the same seat.
◻️ LIVE 📍इगतपुरी, नाशिक
— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) June 5, 2025
🗓️ 05-06-2025
📹 हिंदुहृदयसम्राट बाळासाहेब ठाकरे समृद्धी महामार्ग - अंतिम टप्प्याचा लोकार्पण सोहळा - लाईव्ह https://t.co/FA0Emt2ChY
The car drive somewhat described the political changes in Maharashtra that the state witnessed in the past years.
CM Fadnavis first became CM in 2014 and completed his full five-year term. But after the 2019 assembly elections, the Shiv Sena parted ways with BJP and joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government with Uddhav Thackeray becoming the chief minister.
However, Thackeray's tenure was cut short in June 2022 after Shinde rebelled against him. Shinde along with other rebel MLAs joined hands with BJP and formed the Mahayuti government. Shinde took over as the CM, while Fadnavis became his deputy.
After the November 2024 assembly polls, Fadnavis and Shinde's roles were reversed as the former took over as the chief minister with Shinde being appointed as the deputy CM.
Meanwhile, in the last phase of the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway project, Igatpuri was connected with Amane in Bhiwandi taluka of Thane district to make the entire corridor fully functional, bringing down the travel time between the two cities to 8 hours from around 18 hours.
Speaking at the inauguration event, Ajit Pawar called Shinde as "chief minister" but immediately corrected his mistake, bringing a smile on the faces of everyone present on the dais, including CM Fadnavis, as well as the audience, according to the PTI.
Ajit Pawar said, "This (expressway) is the dream project of CM Devendra Fadnavis which he launched during his first tenure as the chief minister and it has been completed when he is the chief minister again," reported the PTI.
"This happens on rare occasions that people who start a project get to complete it. I remember that those who first opposed the project later gave their lands for it and earned money," he said.
◻️ LIVE 📍इगतपुरी, नाशिक 🗓️ 05-06-2025
— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) June 5, 2025
📹 हिंदुहृदयसम्राट बाळासाहेब ठाकरे समृद्धी महामार्ग - अंतिम टप्प्याचा लोकार्पण सोहळा - लाईव्ह https://t.co/FZUJK7wHkN
He further said, "Deputy CM Eknath Shinde drove our Audi car during our journey on the stretch today. CM Devendra Fadnavis sat beside him and I was keeping a watch whether he was driving well or not but everything went on smoothly."
"During the return journey, CM Fadnavis followed the speed limit, and we reached safely by following all the rules and here I am speaking to you. We did not have to use our insurance," Ajit Pawar said in a lighter vein, creating laughter among the audience, as per the PTI.
Ajit Pawar said the car was being driven at 120 kmph when they were on the viaduct, but it was smoothly reduced to 100 kmph before it entered the tunnel, pointing out that there was no violation of speed limit.
(with PTI inputs)
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