Nagpur-Ratnagiri Highway Won’t Be Expanded to 8 Lanes; Eknath Shinde Explains Shaktipeeth Expressway Plans
Nagpur-Ratnagiri Highway Won’t Be Expanded to 8 Lanes; Eknath Shinde Explains Shaktipeeth Expressway Plans
Amid rising questions about the future of the Nagpur-Ratnagiri Highway and Maharashtra’s proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway, the Legislative Council witnessed a heated discussion on the scope and impact of these projects. Lawmakers expressed concern that the existing highway could be widened to 6 or 8 lanes while a separate expressway is being proposed alongside it. These concerns prompted Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to clarify the state government’s position, addressing both the political and economic implications of the developments.
Responding to queries raised by council members including Satej Patil, Abhijit Wanjari, and Sudhakar Adbale, Shinde emphasized, “There is no plan by the state government to expand the Nagpur-Ratnagiri National Highway (NH-166, 52, 361) to 6 or 8 lanes.” He noted that this highway is under the control of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and no proposal for widening has been received from the central government so far.
Several members raised objections regarding the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway, arguing that building a new expressway parallel to the existing highway could impose an additional financial burden of nearly ₹1 lakh crore on the state. They also highlighted potential adverse effects on agricultural land, forests, and wildlife. Legislators further pointed out that key pilgrimage sites from Paonar in Wardha district to Paratwada in Amravati district are already well-connected by the current highway, which does not experience major traffic congestion.
Shinde countered these concerns by clarifying that the Shaktipeeth Expressway is an access-controlled highway with a distinct purpose. “The expressway is designed to significantly reduce travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 18 hours to just 8 hours,” he explained. The route will start at Paonar in Wardha and stretch to the Maharashtra-Goa border in Sindhudurg. Its Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared following the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards, taking into account current and projected traffic volumes.
He added that multiple alignment options were studied in consultation with landowners and public representatives to ensure minimal disruption. Land acquisition will be carried out according to government norms with fair compensation, and all necessary wildlife clearances have been secured.
Currently, the Nagpur-Ratnagiri corridor, spanning approximately 925.7 km across NH-166, NH-52, and NH-361, has largely been developed as a four-lane highway, with land widths of 45 to 60 meters acquired at a total cost of around ₹29,332 crore. Shinde reaffirmed that there is no plan from NHAI to upgrade this highway to 6 or 8 lanes, underscoring the separation between the existing infrastructure and the new expressway project.
