Mumbai: In a major push to fast-track regional connectivity and economic growth, the Maharashtra government approved a revised alignment for the ambitious Shaktipeeth Expressway, increasing its length, cost and geographical reach while addressing earlier resistance from farmers and environmental concerns.
Cleared on April 1, the redesigned Nagpur-Goa corridor will now span 856.765 km, an increase of 54 km from the earlier 802.592 km plan. The expansion has also driven up the estimated project cost to nearly Rs 1 lakh crore, compared to the previous estimate of around Rs 80,000 crore.
Details On The Revised Plan
A notable change in the revised alignment is the inclusion of Satara district, with around 40 km of the expressway now passing through Gondawale and Shikhar Shinganapur villages, as reported by The Indian Express. The corridor will begin in Wardha and end in Sindhudurg, travelling through multiple districts including Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Solapur, Sangli and Kolhapur.
The updated plan will require the acquisition of approximately 8,760 hectares of land. Officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation confirmed joint measurement work was already completed in over one-third of the affected villages, enabling the next phase of land acquisition to begin.
The redesign follows intense opposition from farmers, particularly in Kolhapur, where the earlier alignment approved in February 2024 cut through fertile agricultural land. Mounting protests led to the withdrawal of initial land acquisition notifications by October 2024, turning the issue into a politically sensitive matter during the Assembly elections.
Also Watch:
Concerns Raised By Environmentalists Over Alignment
Concerns had also been raised over the project’s necessity, given the parallel development of the Nagpur-Ratnagiri National Highway. Environmentalists flagged risks as well, since the proposed corridor passes through ecologically sensitive regions such as the Western Ghats and the Konkan region.
The project was put on hold before being revisited in 2025, when the government tasked MSRDC with exploring alternative alignments. The current proposal is the result of that review.
Once completed, the six-lane greenfield expressway will pass through 13 districts and 40 talukas, linking key religious sites including Mahur, Tuljapur and Kolhapur. The corridor is expected to cut travel time between Nagpur and Goa from around 18 hours to just 8 hours, while boosting trade, tourism and regional development across Maharashtra.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
