Bridging the State: The Shaktipeeth Highway’s New Path to Success

The Public Works Department (PWD) of Maharashtra has issued a government resolution approving a revised alignment for the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Highway, also known as the Nagpur–Goa corridor.

Under the updated plan, the highway will pass through 40 talukas across 13 districts—Wardha, Yavatmal, Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg. The route will connect 21 religious sites, including prominent Shaktipeeths at Mahur, Tuljapur, and Kolhapur.

The revised alignment increases the total length of the highway to 865.76 km from the earlier 803 km. While the original alignment remains unchanged in districts such as Wardha, Yavatmal, Beed, and Latur, modifications have been made in Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg to incorporate Satara district into the corridor.

Once completed, the highway is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Nagpur and Goa from around 18 hours to approximately eight hours.

However, the revised alignment has faced opposition from farmers. Girish Phonde, coordinator of the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, has announced plans for a statewide agitation within eight days. He alleged that while the alignment was altered in response to protests, the concerns of farmers remain unaddressed, as the new route continues to pass through irrigated agricultural land.

Phonde also criticised the inclusion of Satara district, arguing that it lacks major Shaktipeeth or pilgrimage sites, and claimed that the government has not engaged in discussions with protesting farmers over the past two years.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.