Kolhapur: Ahead of Ashadhi Ekadashi, farmers from 13 districts have announced the next phase of the agitation against the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth expressway project at Pandharpur to demand the project’s cancellation.Addressing a conference, farmers’ leader Raju Shetti said the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Kruti Samiti, with thousands of farmers, will undertake a Sadbuddhi Yatra (a march seeking wisdom/good sense) on foot from Vakari to the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur on July 18, Saturday.“State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is scheduled to visit Pandharpur for the official ‘Mahapuja’ on Ashadhi Ekadashi. Against the backdrop of this visit, farmers from 13 districts will collectively pray to Lord Vitthal to give wisdom to CM Fadnavis and the state govt to immediately scrap the Shaktipeeth highway, which threatens to snatch away precious, fertile land of the farmers,” said Shetti.He alleged that the highway project is being forced upon farmers solely to benefit contractors, capitalists, and to facilitate a massive financial scam worth Rs50,000 crore, despite no need for the highway.The controlled-access expressway was planned to stretch from Digraj in Wardha district to Banda in Sindhudurg, passing through 13 districts, 40 talukas and 409 villages, with an estimated cost of Rs1.01 lakh crore. The revised alignment, declared on May 5, 2026, was set to traverse Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts.Shetti added, “Protests, sit-ins, and resolutions opposing the highway have previously taken place at various levels, including in gram sabhas, zilla parishads, and municipal councils across these 13 districts. However, the govt has not yet officially announced the cancellation of the project. Consequently, to intensify the agitation, farmers have decided to seek justice at the feet of Lord Vitthal.”MLA Jayant Patil, legislative council group leader Satej Patil, MP Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, MP Praniti Shinde, former minister Mahadev Jankar, MLA Kailas Patil, and other public representatives will also take part in the Sadbuddhi Yatra.
