Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is set to restart the land acquisition survey for the ambitious 802-km Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, months after protests forced a halt ahead of the state assembly elections. The survey, expected to begin within two weeks, will cover all districts except Kolhapur, where opposition remains fierce.
Designed to cut travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 21 hours to just 10.5 hours, the expressway has faced backlash from farmers and activists who fear displacement, loss of fertile land, inadequate compensation, and environmental repercussions. The most intense opposition has come from Kolhapur, Solapur, and Sangli, where resistance last year led the government to suspend operations in September.
Kolhapur: Farmers from 12 Districts to Protest at Azad Maidan on March 12 Against Shaktipeeth Highway
— Mumbai Youth Congress (@mumbai_iyc) February 21, 2025
Farmers from twelve districts, including Kolhapur, have launched a protest against the proposed Shaktipeeth Highway. A meeting of farmers from the affected districts was held at… pic.twitter.com/e6VTyM2Yvr
Authorities are pushing forward with the project, aiming to acquire 27,000 acres, including 9,500 acres from the most affected districts. The expressway is expected to be completed by 2029, making it the longest in Maharashtra, surpassing the 701-km Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg.
However, opposition to the project remains strong. Congress has vowed to continue protests, arguing that the highway will leave thousands of farmers homeless despite existing connectivity between Nagpur and Goa. MLC Satej Patil has announced large-scale street demonstrations, with a major protest planned outside the state assembly on March 12, coinciding with the budget session.
In Latur, the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana has already staged protests against the acquisition of 481 acres of farmland, warning of devastating consequences for local agriculture.
The expressway will pass through 12 districts, including Wardha, Yavatmal, Nanded, Beed, Solapur, and Sindhudurg, ultimately linking with the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway. Maharashtra officials are also in talks with Goa authorities to facilitate additional construction near the Manohar International Airport at Mopa, aiming to boost connectivity and economic growth.
