Opposition to the Nagpur-Goa Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway is gaining momentum across Sangli and Solapur districts. On Saturday, senior NCP (SP) leader and MLA Jayant Patil called on the state government to rethink the project, citing overwhelming resistance from the farming community.
Jayant Patil Criticizes Land Acquisition
Speaking to the media, Jayant Patil criticized the government's approach to land acquisition. He stated that there is widespread opposition to the Shaktipeeth Expressway and noted that if the project had followed its original alignment, it might not have faced such backlash. Patil emphasized that forcefully acquiring farmers' land to build a road to Goa is fundamentally wrong.
Patil further questioned the logic behind the religious branding of the corridor. He asked why major temple sites in Ramtek, Bhandara, and Gondia are being neglected if the goal is to connect temples. He pointed out that the road divides villages into two parts and argued that since parallel options already exist, investing such a massive amount in the Shaktipeeth project is unnecessary.
Farmers Rally in Vita, Sangli
The protest reached a fever pitch in Vita, Sangli, where a massive farmers' rally was led by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti. In a symbolic gesture, Shetti arrived at the venue in a bullock cart with a message painted on the oxen: Ekach Jidda—Shaktipeeth Radda (Only one resolve—cancel Shaktipeeth). The rally saw participation from state coordinator Girish Phonde, advocate Deepak Lad, advocate Babasaheb Mulik, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ranjeet Bagal, and Dr. Vijay Mahadik, alongside thousands of farmers.
Raju Shetti Highlights Financial Burden
Addressing the crowd, the former MP highlighted the state's financial health. He stated that Maharashtra is already burdened with a debt of ₹9 lakh crore and questioned why the government would increase this by another ₹10 lakh crore for a single project. Shetti clarified that the farmers are not anti-development, noting that they did not oppose the Nagpur-Ratnagiri highway or the Surat-Chennai Expressway. He emphasized that they are opposing this specific road because it appears designed to benefit contractors and industrialists through corruption. Shetti declared that they will fight until the very end to save their land.
Survey Abandoned in Nimgaon
The impact of the protests is already being felt on the ground. In Nimgaon, located in Malshiras taluka of Solapur district, fierce resistance from local landowners forced officials from the revenue and land records department to abandon a scheduled land survey on Friday. The officials reportedly returned empty-handed after farmers refused to let the process proceed.
As the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti continues to mobilize, the state government faces increasing pressure to address the growing unrest in Western Maharashtra.
