A significant update has emerged regarding the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, a flagship project of the ruling coalition government. The government has decided to cancel the land acquisition notification for the expressway, raising questions about the project’s future.
A proposal to cancel the land acquisition notification was submitted to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in response to increasing opposition from farmers. The government had previously halted the acquisition due to these protests, and now it has officially decided to revoke the notification.
The Shaktipeeth Expressway is considered the government’s most ambitious project, cutting through 12 districts across the state. However, the project has now run into controversy, prompting the cancellation of the land acquisition notification. The expressway initially aimed to acquire 27,000 hectares of land, but following resistance from farmers, the government has made a significant decision to back down.
Political analysts suggest that this move reflects a cautious stance by the ruling coalition ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections, particularly after setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections. The expressway was first announced by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2023, envisioned as an 802 km greenfield highway directly connecting Nagpur to Goa. Named after three major Shaktipeeths it would connect, the project was expected to become the longest super expressway in the state.
The planned route of the expressway would begin in Wardha district, passing through Yavatmal, Nanded, and Dharashiv, and extending to Sindhudurg. The state government had allocated Rs 86,000 crore for its construction, with a groundbreaking ceremony set for 2025 and completion expected by 2030. The expressway would have reduced travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 18 hours to just eight.
Planned Route and Features of the Shaktipeeth Expressway
The six-lane expressway was planned to pass through 12 districts: Wardha, Nanded, Parbhani, Dharashiv, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Beed, Latur, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg. It would feature 26 interchanges, 48 major bridges, 30 tunnels, and eight railway crossings.
Key Religious Sites to Be Connected by the Expressway
The Shaktipeeth Expressway was designed to connect several significant pilgrimage sites, including Kolhapur’s Karveer Nivasini Ambabai, Tuljapur’s Tuljabhavani, and Mahur’s Renuka Devi. It would also link two Jyotirlinga sites, Parli Vaijnath and Aundha Nagnath, along with other important temples and religious landmarks such as Pandharpur’s Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple, the Gurudwara of Guru Gobind Singh in Nanded, and Solapur’s Siddheshwar Temple.
