The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will implement the project, with the land acquisition and initial planning process to be overseen by the Public Works Department (PWD). (File photo)The Maharashtra Cabinet Tuesday approved acquisition of land for the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway project, which was halted due to farmers’ protests in Kolhapur in 2024.The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also approved Rs 20,000 crore for land acquisition and planning, while the entire project cost is estimated to be Rs 80,000 crore.The proposed 802-kilometre high-speed corridor, officially known as the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, will connect Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi in Sindhudurg, near the Maharashtra-Goa border. Once completed, the expresway will link 18 major pilgrimage destinations, including three-and-a-half Shaktipeeths, two Jyotirlingas, and spiritual centres such as Pandharpur and Ambajogai, cutting across 11 districts.The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will implement the project, with the land acquisition and initial planning process to be overseen by the Public Works Department (PWD).The Cabinet decision comes nearly six months after the Devendra Fadnavis-led government formally revived the project in January 2025, following a period of uncertainty. The previous Mahayuti government, under then CM Eknath Shinde, in June 2024 put the project on hold after mounting opposition from farmers and political leaders, including members of the ruling coalition.The primary concern was the large-scale acquisition of private agricultural land. Of the 8,419 hectares required for the project, nearly 8,100 hectares belong to individual farmers. Protests, particularly in Kolhapur and surrounding sugar belt districts, gained momentum, prompting the then government to put the project in abeyance.Just days after being sworn in, CM Fadnavis directed the PWD to resume work on the corridor, signalling renewed political will to push forward one of the most ambitious greenfield infrastructure projects in the state.Story continues below this adBeyond transportation, the Shaktipeeth Expressway is projected as a religious and cultural corridor aimed at enhancing pilgrimage connectivity across Vidarbha, Marathwada, and western Maharashtra. The expressway will pass through Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Beed, Dharashiv, Solapur, Kolhapur and Sindhudurg.Officials say the project will significantly reduce travel time, boost tourism, and support local economies in regions that remain underdeveloped or poorly connected by rail and road.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Maharashtra