02 May,2026 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
CM Devendra Fadnavis takes the Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV for a spin on the new Mumbai-Pune route on Friday. Pic/Satej Shinde
The brand-new Mercedes-Benz G-Class driven by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the inauguration of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link on Friday was registered just a day before the ceremony. The deep-blue, ultra-luxury sports utility vehicle is a high-performance AMG G 63 variant of the Benz, priced at around Rs 4.5 crore.
"The vehicle has been officially registered at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Regional Transport Office (RTO), Maharashtra, under registration number MH14ND1212. According to official records, the vehicle is owned by Bhanderi Corporation Limited, an Ahmedabad-based infra and real estate firm," an official said. The vehicle was purchased and registered on April 30, 2026, and its registration validity extends until April 29, 2041.
The fitness certificate is also valid up to the same date. Officials noted that all mandatory compliances, including motor vehicle tax and insurance, have been completed at the time of registration.
April 29, 2041
Day till when registration of vehicles is valid
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which was inaugurated in 2002 and named after former Chief Minister Yashwantrao Chavan, is used by about 75,000 vehicles, including heavy ones, daily. This number often touches 1,20,000 vehicles on weekends and holidays, leading to severe traffic congestion.
It is a 13.3 km road, including a tunnel stretch of about 8.92 km. It features two of the world's widest tunnels, measuring nearly 23.75 metres in width, along with high viaducts and a cable-stayed bridge rising about 182 metres above Tiger valley. The road also passes 182 metres below Lonavala lake, making it one of the most complex infrastructure projects in the region.
The stretch, designed to bypass the existing Lonavala-Khandala ghat section, will reduce the distance between Mumbai and Pune by nearly six kilometres. According to the notification by the traffic police, in the initial phase, from May 1 to October 31, entry will only be for Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and passenger vehicles, while goods-carrying vehicles will remain prohibited. From November 1, after a review, the authorities would assess the feasibility of allowing goods vehicles. The speed limits have also been fixed at 100 kmph for cars and 80 kmph for passenger buses.
