Kolhapur: BJP’s Shirala MLA Satyajeet Deshmukh has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to alter the alignment of the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, making him perhaps the only BJP legislator to openly oppose the highway passing through his assembly constituency.
The state government has already notified a revised alignment for the ambitious project and is preparing to acquire land along the route. As per the current plan, the expressway will cut across multiple districts — beginning from Barshi, Pandharpur and Malshiras in Solapur, moving through Man-Khatav in Satara, then into Kadegaon, Palus, Walva and Shirala in Sangli, before extending through Kolhapur’s Panhala, Karvir, Shahuwadi, Bhudargad and Ajara, and finally reaching Sindhudurg up to the Goa border.
Deshmukh raised strong objections, especially over the impact on fertile agricultural land in his constituency. “The current alignment slices through key villages like Kameri, Yede Nipani, Itkare, Yelur, Kurlap and Aitavde Khurd, areas known for their rich soil and thriving farm economy. The farmers have spent thousands of crores of rupees to lay pipelines to irrigate fields in these areas. Most farmers here are small landholders, dependent on crops like vegetables, fruits and sugar cane. If this land is acquired, it will not just displace these farmers, but also cripple the local economy,” he said.
The MLA also met Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) managing director Anilkumar Gaikwad along with a delegation of farmers to formally oppose the alignment. “Agitations are intensifying, and gram panchayats are passing resolutions against the project. I have requested the CM to convene a meeting and reconsider the alignment,” Deshmukh said.
A stretch of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway (NH-48), built in 2002, passes through Walva and Shirala, for which land was willingly given at the time. Now, farmers said, another major project cutting through the same belt was unacceptable.
Panhala-Shahuwadi MLA and Jan Surajya Shakti Party president Vinay Kore — an NDA ally — has also voiced support for the affected farmers. Kore said he would oppose any project that “goes against the farmers’ wishes”. He also assured his constituents that he would take up the issue directly with the CM.
