Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is advocating for the Shaktipeeth Expressway, a proposed link between Nagpur and Mumbai, despite facing skepticism and opposition even from within his own party, the BJP, as well as from farmers whose land will be affected by the project.

In a significant demonstration, villagers and farmers from 12 districts in Maharashtra gathered at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to voice their concerns. The protest was supported by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. Prominent farmers’ leader Raju Shetti, founder of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, also joined the demonstration.

In response to queries from Ambadas Danve, leader of the upper house and affiliated with the Shiv Sena, Fadnavis stated during the Maharashtra state legislative council session, “There are more farmers supporting the Shaktipeeth Expressway than opposing it. This project is not merely a roadway; it will transform five districts, much like the Samruddhi Expressway has. We will not impose this project on anyone; we are open to discussing farmers’ concerns. While some are protesting, many others are organizing gatherings in support of the project.”

The Shaktipeeth Expressway was previously postponed last year due to opposition from farmers in Kolhapur. Leaders from all factions within the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, had urged a slowdown of land acquisition, relating it to the coalition’s performance in the Kolhapur Lok Sabha elections.

As the Maharashtra state assembly elections approached last year, concerns about local opposition were raised by leaders like Sanjay Mandlik of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Hassan Mushrif from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and Dhananjay Mahadik of the BJP. Mandlik, who ran unsuccessfully for the Lok Sabha from Kolhapur, had even submitted a memorandum to then-CM Eknath Shinde, calling for the Shaktipeeth project to be scrapped. Mushrif highlighted that local dissent over the expressway was a contributing factor to the Mahayuti’s losses in several Lok Sabha constituencies, especially in Kolhapur.

Mahadik explained, “Last year, there was no clear alignment plan for the road. The Opposition propagated a false narrative claiming it would harm farmers without understanding the project’s details.”

Despite this, opposition to the Shaktipeeth Expressway endures, with protesting farmers resolutely opposing any surveys of their land, fearing that the project will jeopardize their livelihoods. Raju Shetti, a former MP and farmers’ advocate, accused the Mahayuti government of corruption related to the ₹86,000 crore project. “If this project is intended to connect the temples of Maharashtra, why is the road leading to Goa?” he questioned.

Government estimates suggest the cost for constructing one kilometer of the six-lane roadway at ₹107 crore, while Shetti challenged this, claiming it should only cost around ₹35 crore. “We demand to know where the additional ₹70 crore is going,” he stated to the assembled protesting farmers at Azad Maidan.

The Shaktipeeth Expressway is set to span 802 km, making it longer than the 701 km Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway, also known as Samruddhi Mahamarg. It is planned to commence from Pavnar in the Wardha district and conclude at Patradevi on the Maharashtra-Goa state border.