Addressing a press conference in Kolhapur, Patil questioned why Kolhapur was excluded from the 12 districts the expressway was set to pass through. "If the highway is to be constructed, it must pass through Kolhapur. Would it go via an aerial route, skipping the district?" he remarked sarcastically, demanding the cancellation of the entire highway due to unrest among farmers.

Earlier, Minister Hasan Mushrif handed over the cancellation notification for the Kolhapur stretch to former MLA Sanjay Ghatge. Despite the notification, Girish Phonde, coordinator of the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, raised concerns about the delay in its announcement, calling for the cancellation of land acquisition as well.