Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is set to resume the land acquisition survey for the 802-km Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway. The survey was halted last year due to intense protests ahead of the state legislative assembly elections.
The proposed expressway, intended to remarkably reduce travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 21 hours to approximately 10.5 hours, has sparked strong opposition from farmers and activists. Critics argue that the project will lead to displacement, loss of fertile agricultural land, inadequate compensation and insufficient environmental impact assessments.
With the elections now over, the MSRDC plans to resume the survey within a fortnight across all districts except Kolhapur. According to a Hindustan Times report quoting a senior official, Kolhapur, Solapur and Sangli saw the strongest protests since June 2024, prompting the government to halt ground activities in September. Of the 27,000 acres needed for the expressway, around 9,500 acres are to be acquired from these three districts.
The land acquisition process will begin as soon as the survey is completed, which is expected within a few months. The state aims to finish the expressway by the end of 2029, making it Maharashtra’s longest expressway, surpassing the 701-km Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Mumbai and Nagpur.
Opposition Threatens Firm Protest Against Project
However, opposition to the project remains strong. The Congress party has announced plans to protest against the expressway, arguing that it will render farmers from 12 districts homeless despite the availability of existing routes between Nagpur and Goa. Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Satej Patil warned of street protests instead of legal battles, with a major demonstration scheduled outside the state assembly on March 12 during the budget session from March 3 to March 25.
The expressway will pass through Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Beed, Dharashiv (Osmanabad), Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur and Sindhudurg. Kolhapur, led by MLC Patil, has become a focal point for resistance. Similar unrest is brewing in Latur, where farmers, organized by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, protested outside Tehsil offices on January 24. Protesters raised concerns over the acquisition of 481 acres of farmland, fearing severe impacts on local agriculture.
Plans To Extend Expressway Till Mopa Airport
The expressway will start from Pavnar near Wardha and stretch to Patradevi in North Goa, integrating with the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway to enhance connectivity. During a recent meeting, Maharashtra officials requested their Goan counterparts to allow additional construction near the newly operational Manohar International Airport at Mopa, aiming to boost accessibility and economic growth.
