Devendra Fadnavis rides motorcycle to Vidhan Bhavan amid fuel conservation drive

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived at the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on a motorcycle on Thursday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected Legislative Council members.

The symbolic move comes amid a broader austerity and fuel conservation drive initiated following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce fuel consumption due to rising global energy pressures linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Fadnavis travelled from his official residence ‘Varsha’ to the Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai on a motorcycle along with BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar.

In another symbolic gesture, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane walked to Mantralaya, the state secretariat, to attend the cabinet meeting as part of the fuel-saving campaign.

On Wednesday, Fadnavis announced several austerity measures aimed at conserving fuel and reducing government expenditure. The measures include reducing the number of vehicles in ministers’ convoys by half and cancelling foreign tours of ministers and government officials.

The Maharashtra government said the steps were taken in response to PM Modi’s call to save fuel and foreign exchange as geopolitical tensions in West Asia continue to impact global crude oil and gas supplies.

According to an official statement, police commissioners and superintendents of police have been directed to ensure that ministerial convoys during outstation visits remain within prescribed limits.

The state government has also ordered a review of vehicles allotted to different departments as part of the ongoing austerity drive.