13 hours ago
Maharashtra approves Rs 20,787 crores for Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway
The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved 20,787 crores in land acquisition for the 802 km Maharashtra Shaktipeeth expressway connecting Pavnar (Wardha) to Patradevi (Sindhudurg) on the Maharashtra-Goa expressway will link 12 districts namely Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg and connect to the Konkan aims to enhance pilgrimage tourism by linking major spiritual sites, including Shaktipeeths like Mahur, Tuljapur, and Kolhapur, as well as Ambajogai, Pandharpur's Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple, and Jyotirlingas at Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath. The corridor will cut travel time from Nagpur to Goa from 18 to 8
However, despite its potential to boost tourism, the project faces strong opposition from farmers, particularly in Western Maharashtra, over land minister Hasan Mushrif and Health minister Prakash Abitkar, both from Kolhapur raised concerns in the cabinet, citing farmer backlash that impacted the Mahayuti coalition in recent elections. They urged dialogue with affected farmers to address response, the cabinet approved a partial alignment from Pavanar to Sangli, covering over 700 km, while scrapping the route through Kolhapur's Shirol, Karvir, Hatkanangale, Kagal, Bhudargad, and Ajara Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed MSRDC to propose an alternative alignment for the Sangli-Sindhudurg stretch, with consultations planned involving local stakeholders told sources. Also, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar while speaking to reporters confirmed the government's willingness to adjust the alignment to address farmer concerns, emphasising no forced expressway, positioned as a cultural and religious corridor, will enhance connectivity across Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Western Maharashtra, linking key pilgrimage sites like Mahalaxmi Temple (Kolhapur), Tulja Bhavani Temple (Dharashiv), and Renuka Mata Shakti Peeth (Nanded).The project, executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), includes 12,000 crores from Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) loan for acquiring nearly 7500 hectares of land. - Ends
