Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan announced on Monday that construction on the much-debated Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway will commence soon, despite strong opposition from farmers in the state’s sugar belt. The 802-km greenfield expressway is estimated to cost Rs 86,300 crore and aims to improve connectivity to several pilgrimage destinations.

Farmers, fearing displacement, have vowed to march to Mumbai in protest during the second week of March, as per The Indian Express. They argue that the project will lead to loss of agricultural land, despite government assurances.

Speaking at the Maharashtra Assembly Budget Session, Governor Radhakrishnan stated, “This expressway will be completed after taking all persons into confidence. It will not only reduce travel time but also foster economic growth in the region.”

Additionally, the Maharashtra government has planned 7,480 km of cement-concretized roads under Public Works Department (PWD) initiatives to improve road durability and safety.

Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway: Road Map

Once completed, the expressway will connect Patradevi in Sindhudurg to Pavnar in Wardha, covering 11 districts:

Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Beed, Dharashiv, Solapur, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg.

While the government highlights economic and religious benefits, the ongoing farmer protests pose a major challenge to the project's execution.