‘Loved Travelling, Thank You Modi Ji’: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Takes Vande Bharat From Mumbai to Shirdi for Fuel-Saving Awareness

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis continued the state government’s fuel-conservation and austerity campaign on Saturday by travelling from Mumbai to Shirdi aboard the Vande Bharat Express. Sharing his experience after the journey, Fadnavis praised India’s indigenous semi-high-speed train network and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he described as a major gift to the nation.

Posting on X after boarding the train from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Fadnavis wrote, “Loved travelling from Mumbai to Shirdi by Bharat’s very own #VandeBharat express. Thank you Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji for this gift to our Nation!”

The journey is being viewed as another symbolic step by Maharashtra’s top leadership to promote fuel conservation and responsible public spending at a time when rising global crude oil prices continue affecting fuel costs across the country.

Devendra Fadnavis Travels by Vande Bharat From Mumbai to Shirdi

Visuals from Mumbai’s CSMT station showed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arriving amid security arrangements before boarding the Mumbai-Shirdi Vande Bharat Express for the nearly five-hour journey to the temple town.

The Vande Bharat train, regarded as one of India’s flagship modern railway projects, has emerged as a symbol of the country’s rapidly expanding semi-high-speed rail infrastructure.

Fadnavis’ decision to use the train instead of official aircraft or road convoy transportation has been positioned as part of the Maharashtra government’s ongoing campaign to encourage fuel-saving practices and administrative austerity.

Maharashtra Government Intensifies Fuel-Conservation Campaign

The latest move comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently appealed to citizens and political leaders to adopt fuel-saving measures amid increasing global oil prices.

Following the appeal, Maharashtra has witnessed several symbolic public actions by senior leaders aimed at promoting awareness regarding responsible fuel consumption and reduced government expenditure.

The state government has increasingly attempted to project an image of administrative discipline, austerity and environmentally conscious travel practices.

Fadnavis Earlier Chose Economy-Class Flight Over Chartered Aircraft

The Vande Bharat journey comes only days after Devendra Fadnavis travelled from Pune to Bengaluru on a commercial IndiGo flight in economy class instead of using the state government’s chartered aircraft.

Officials had then described the move as part of Maharashtra’s broader cost-cutting and fuel-conservation initiative.

The decision had attracted significant public attention because senior political leaders traditionally prefer official aircraft for interstate travel.

Motorcycle Ride to Vidhan Bhavan Also Drew Attention

Earlier this month, Fadnavis had also undertaken a widely discussed motorcycle ride from his official residence ‘Varsha’ in Malabar Hill to Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai.

The Chief Minister had then stated that symbolic actions by leaders help create greater public awareness regarding fuel conservation and responsible energy usage.

Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar had accompanied him during the ride, which generated major political and public discussion across the state.

Maharashtra Implements Multiple Austerity Measures

The Maharashtra government has already begun implementing multiple austerity measures as part of the broader campaign.

According to officials, the measures include reducing the size of ministerial convoys, restricting unnecessary foreign trips by ministers and bureaucrats and avoiding large-scale government events over the next six months.

Fadnavis had earlier defended the austerity campaign by stating that even small sacrifices by public representatives can help send an important message regarding responsible resource usage.

“The Prime Minister has only asked people to make small sacrifices while himself taking very tough decisions,” Fadnavis had said while responding to criticism from opposition parties.

Senior Maharashtra Leaders Also Promote Eco-Friendly Travel

The austerity and fuel-conservation campaign has also seen participation from other senior Maharashtra leaders.

Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar have recently travelled in electric vehicles to Vidhan Bhavan and Mantralaya as part of the broader initiative.

The Maharashtra government appears keen to use symbolic public actions to promote awareness around sustainable transport, fuel conservation and controlled government expenditure.

Vande Bharat Journey Highlights Changing Political Messaging

Devendra Fadnavis’ Vande Bharat journey reflects how political leadership is increasingly using public transport and symbolic travel choices to communicate broader governance priorities.

At a time when fuel prices and environmental concerns remain key national discussions, such moves are being projected as examples of responsible governance and sustainable public messaging.

The latest journey has also once again highlighted the growing visibility of India’s Vande Bharat rail network, which continues emerging as a major symbol of modern transport infrastructure and faster intercity connectivity across the country.