By Nikita Jha
The ambitious Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, spanning 802 kilometres, is set to transform travel across Maharashtra by drastically reducing the distance and time between Nagpur and Goa. Once completed, this six-lane greenfield expressway will cut the existing travel distance from approximately 1,110 km to 802 km, slashing travel time from 21 hours to just 8 hours — a reduction of nearly 13 hours. The project is being executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and is estimated to cost around Rs 86,000 crore. Why This Name?The expressway is named the Shaktipeeth Expressway for a significant reason. It will connect three important Shakti Peethas (seats of divine feminine power) in Maharashtra — Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur, Tuljabhavani in Tuljapur, and the temple at Patradevi in North Goa, as per a Magic Bricks report. These sites are not only spiritual landmarks but also major cultural and tourist destinations. The Shaktipeeth Expressway will pass through 12 districts in Maharashtra: Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Beed, Osmanabad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Sindhudurg, and finally touch Patradevi in North Goa. The route has been strategically planned to promote the development of interior regions and bring them closer to major hubs. With six lanes and high-speed access, the expressway is also poised to ease logistics movement and reduce fuel consumption. It is one of Maharashtra’s most significant infrastructure projects, enhancing connectivity between the Vidarbha region in the east and the coastal Konkan region in the west.