MUMBAI: Upset with the Mahayuti government’s decision to go ahead with the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway between Nagpur and Goa, contrary to an assurance given before the Assembly elections that the project will not be imposed upon them, farmers from 12 districts of the state will hold a protest in the city at Azad Maidan on March 12.
The 802-km expressway was announced in March 2023 by the then Finance Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the Mahayuti government’s first budget presentation. With an estimated cost of ₹83,600 crore, the expressway will pass through 12 districts across Vidarbha, Marathwada and western Maharashtra.
Since then, the farmers of these districts have been opposing the project, refusing to give their land for the highway, with Kolhapur emerging as the centre of protests.
Amid such protests, the then chief minister Eknath Shinde had announced before the Assembly elections that the government will not impose the expressway project on the farmers and indicated that it would change its route in the Kolhapur district.
However, after returning to power, the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government has now officially announced that it is going to go ahead with the project, giving rise to much consternation among the farmers, who have now decided to bring their protest to the capital.
“Over 5,000 farmers will hold a protest on March 12 at Azad Maidan, and 2,000 will be from Kolhapur district alone,” said Girish Phonde, convenor, Shaktipeeth Mahamarg Virodhi Sangharsh Samittee. “We are gathering here to protest against the expressway project and to also expose the fake assurance given by the Mahayuti government before the assembly elections.”
Hoping to showcase their unity and strength, he added that MLAs and MLCs, including Congress leader Satej Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Kailas Patil, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Patil, and other leaders like former MP Raju Shetti, will also attend the protest.