MSRDC to renew survey for Nagpur-Goa Expressway; protests prone to intensify

The proposed expressway has confronted vital opposition from farmers and activists, who argue that it’ll result in displacement and lack of fertile agricultural land. Considerations have additionally been raised over insufficient compensation and the shortage of a radical environmental influence research.

With the elections concluded, the MSRDC has confirmed that the survey will recommence in a fortnight throughout all districts besides Kolhapur. A senior official advised HT that Kolhapur, Solapur, and Sangli witnessed the strongest resistance since June 2024, main the federal government to droop floor actions in September. Out of the 27,000 acres required for the mission, round 9,500 acres are to be acquired from these three districts.

“Land acquisition will start instantly after the survey is accomplished, which is predicted within the subsequent few months,” the official acknowledged. The state goals to finish the expressway by the tip of 2029, chopping journey time between Nagpur and Goa from 21 hours to roughly 10.5 hours. If accomplished, this might be Maharashtra’s longest expressway, surpassing the 701-km Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Mumbai and Nagpur.

In the meantime, the Congress celebration has introduced plans to protest in opposition to the access-controlled expressway, arguing that it’ll go away farmers from 12 districts homeless regardless of the presence of present routes between Nagpur and Goa. Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Satej Patil has warned that as a substitute of pursuing authorized battles, demonstrators will take to the streets. A big protest march is scheduled outdoors the state meeting on March 12, in the course of the funds session working from March 3 to March 25.

The expressway will traverse Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Beed, Dharashiv (Osmanabad), Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg. Kolhapur, particularly, has emerged as a hotspot for opposition, with MLC Patil, who additionally heads the Kolhapur District Congress Committee, main the resistance.

Opposition to the mission can also be mounting in Latur, the place farmers staged protests outdoors Tehsil workplaces on January 24. Organised by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, the protest highlighted considerations over the acquisition of 481 acres of farmland within the district, which they declare will severely influence native farmers. Related resistance was seen in the course of the land acquisition course of for the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway within the earlier decade.

The proposed expressway will originate from Pavnar, close to Wardha, and lengthen to Patradevi in North Goa. At Pavnar, it can combine with the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway to boost connectivity. Throughout a current joint assembly, Maharashtra officers requested their Goan counterparts to allow the development of further kilometres inside Goa, particularly close to the newly operational Manohar Worldwide Airport at Mopa.