Opposition to Shaktipeeth Expressway gains momentum in Sangli and Solapur districts

Kolhapur: 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 govt to rethink the project, citing overwhelming resistance from the farming community.

Speaking to the media, Jayant Patil criticised the govt’s approach to land acquisition. “There is opposition to the Shaktipeeth Expressway. Had the project followed the original alignment, it might not have faced such backlash. Forcefully acquiring farmers’ land to build a road to Goa is fundamentally wrong,” Patil said.

He further questioned the logic behind the “religious” branding of the corridor. “If the goal is to connect temples, why are major sites in Ramtek, Bhandara, and Gondia being neglected? This road divides villages into two. When parallel options already exist, investing such a massive amount in the Shaktipeeth project is unnecessary,” he added.

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.

Addressing the crowd, the former MP highlighted the state’s financial health. “Maharashtra is already burdened with a debt of ₹9 lakh crore. Why increase this by another Rs10 lakh crore for a single project?” Shetti asked. He clarified that the farmers are not “anti-development,” noting they did not oppose the Nagpur-Ratnagiri highway or the Surat-Chennai Expressway. “We are opposing this specific road because it appears designed to benefit contractors and industrialists through corruption. We will fight until the very end to save our land,” Shetti said.

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 mobilise, the state govt faces increasing pressure to address the growing unrest in Western Maharashtra.