Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway route
Credit: X/@IndianTechGuide
Mumbai: The Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway - which was out on hold in the run up to the 2024 Vidhan Sabha polls because of opposition by various quarters - has been formally revived.
Once complete, the 802-km six-lane Shaktipeeth Expressway will be the longest high-speed access-controlled Express in India surpassing the 701-kms Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway, popularly known as Samruddhi Corridor.
The Devendra Fadnavis-headed MahaYuti-NDA government will be undertaking the project is expected to cost Rs Rs 86,300 crore.
In his address to the joint sitting of the Maharashtra Legislature on the inaugural day of the budget session, Governor CP Radhakrishnan made a mention of the government’s commitment to executive the project.
“My government has decided to undertake the construction of Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway. This expressway will be completed after taking all persons into confidence,” the Governor said.
“This Expressway will connect major religious and pilgrimage sites along the route. This expressway will not only reduce travel time but also foster economic growth in the region. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 86,300 crore,” Radhakrishnan added.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will be the nodal agency for the mega-project.
The Expressway originating from the central India hub of Nagpur will slash travel time to Goa from 18-20 hours to just 8-10 hours. By enhancing connectivity across 12 districts, it aims to boost tourism, regional development, and provide easier access to spiritual sites.
The highway will pass through 12 districts of Maharashtra and one district of Goa.
It will pass through three Shakti Peethas of Mahalaxmi (Kolhapur), Tulja Bhawani (Dharashiv) and Patradevi (Goa), two Jyotirlingas of Aundha Nagnath (Hingoli) and Parli Vaijnath (Beed), historic town of Pandharpur, which houses the the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir - dedicated to God Vithoba - a form/incarnation of Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna and his consort Goddess Rakhumai.
The project was put on temporary hold after opposition by locals, particularly in the Kolhapur district, between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.
After the new MahaYuti government came to power, Fadnavis held a series of meetings and decided to review the project, however, take people into confidence.