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Maharashtra's New 802-Km Expressway To Link Shaktipeeths, Cut Nagpur-Goa Travel To 8 Hours
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The expressway will run from Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi on the Maharashtra-Goa border in Sindhudurg, passing through Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, and Sindhudurg
In a major push for connectivity and tourism, the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved an allocation of Rs 20,787 crore for the ambitious 802-km 'Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway' project.
The new high-speed corridor will link key pilgrimage centres across 12 districts and drastically cut travel time between Nagpur and Goa from the current 18 hours to just eight, officials said.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
To address concerns about land acquisition, the Chief Minister instructed that discussions be held with farmers in areas where there is local opposition to the project.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will implement the expressway, while HUDCO has sanctioned a loan of Rs 12,000 crore for the acquisition of nearly 7,500 hectares of land required for the project.
'Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway'
The project will link eastern Maharashtra with southern Konkan. It aims to link all `Shaktipeeths' in the state and develop rural areas through tourism and connectivity, officials said.
The expressway will run from Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi on the Maharashtra-Goa border in Sindhudurg, passing through Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg districts.
Besides connecting Shaktipeeths such as Mahur, Tuljapur, and Kolhapur, the expressway will also provide seamless access to other major spiritual and historical sites, including Pandharpur, Ambajogai, Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlings, as well as Karanja-Lad, Akkalkot, Audumber, and Narsobachi Wadi.
Maharashtra is home to three major Shaktipeeths — Saptashrungi Devi in Nashik, Mahalakshmi Devi in Kolhapur, and Tulja Bhavani in Tuljapur — while several other important shrines like Renuka Devi in Mahur, Jagadamba Devi in Ambejogai, and Yamai Devi in Aundh are also revered as part of the state's broader Shaktipeeth circuit, often promoted through spiritual tourism initiatives.
Officials said the expressway aims to enhance rural development through improved connectivity and promote religious tourism by linking all major Shaktipeeths across Maharashtra.
(with PTI inputs)
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