The Shaktipeeth Highway, which passes through 12 districts across the state, is currently caught in controversy with a protest march to Vidhan Sabha scheduled on March 12. The project plans to acquire 27,000 hectares of land, but since much of this land is fertile, the highway is facing strong opposition from millions of farmers across the state, along with opposition parties.
A statewide meeting of affected farmers was held at Shahu Smarak Bhavan under the chairmanship of Congress Legislative Council leader MLA Satej Patil. Speaking at the meeting of the Shaktipeeth Highway Opposition Struggle Committee, Patil said that the highway would devastate farmers, and therefore, a massive protest march to the Vidhan Sabha will be held on March 12, demanding the cancellation of the project.
Patil questioned why the Shaktipeeth Highway is being imposed when alternative roads to Goa are already available. He urged farmers to show their strength to the government and called on them to participate in large numbers in the protest march. In 2023, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the construction of this highway, modeled after the Samruddhi Expressway.
This 802km-long greenfield highway will directly connect Nagpur to Goa. Since it links three major Shaktipeeths in Maharashtra, which are Ambabai Temple in Kolhapur, Tuljabhavabi Temple in Tuljapur, Renukadevi Temple in Mahur, Nanded, the name was adopted from there. It will be the longest super expressway in the state.
The highway will start from Wardha district and pass through Yavatmal, Nanded, Dharashiv, and finally end in Sindhudurg. The state government plans to invest Rs86,000 crore in this project. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 2025, and the highway is expected to open for public use by 2030.
