Maharashtra Cabinet Approves 800-km Shaktipeeth Expressway to Boost Connectivity and Tourism
Maharashtra Cabinet Approves 800-km Shaktipeeth Expressway to Boost Connectivity and Tourism
802-km corridor to link Nagpur to Goa via 12 districts
In a major infrastructural push, the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved the ₹20,787 crore Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway, a transformative 802-km project that will connect eastern Maharashtra with the southern Konkan region. The expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 18 hours to just 8, significantly improving inter-regional connectivity and boosting tourism.
The expressway will run from Pavnar in Wardha to Patradevi in Sindhudurg, near the Maharashtra-Goa border. It will pass through 12 districts — Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg.
The route will link prominent religious destinations like Mahur, Tuljapur, Kolhapur, Pandharpur, Ambajogai, and the two Jyotirlingas of Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath. Other important spiritual locations like Karanja-Lad, Akkalkot, Audumber, and Narsobachi Wadi will also be connected. The expressway aims to integrate all major Shaktipeeths in Maharashtra, stimulate rural development, and promote religious tourism.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will implement the project, and HUDCO has already sanctioned a ₹12,000 crore loan for acquiring nearly 7,500 hectares of land. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who chaired the cabinet meeting, directed that in areas where land acquisition faces opposition, officials should engage directly with farmers to address concerns.
Other Key Cabinet Decisions
A land parcel in Bandra East was officially handed over to the Public Works Department for the construction of a new High Court complex in Mumbai. The government also waived ₹31.75 crore in slum rehabilitation dues, paving the way to remove encroachments from the site.
Additionally, the cabinet approved the allocation of 7,000 square meters of reserved land in Chikhli (Pimpri Chinchwad) for a sewage treatment plant to improve local sanitation infrastructure.
These sweeping decisions reflect Maharashtra’s renewed focus on enhancing physical infrastructure, improving social welfare, and creating long-term development across both urban and rural landscapes.
