Farmers vow to resist land acquisition for expressway

Farmers from 12 districts across Vidarbha, Marathwada and western Maharashtra gathered at Azad Maidan on Wednesday to protest against the proposed 802-km Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth expressway, vowing not to allow the survey of their land for acquisition for the project.

- Saurabha Kulshreshtha

MUMBAI: On the other hand, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the state legislative council that the government is firm on going ahead with the project, but will also take into consideration the farmers' grievances.

Leader of opposition, Ambadas Danve, raised the issue in the council. "We visited the protest at Azad Maidan. The state government should consider the feelings of the farmers who are opposing the project," he said.

Corroborating his statement, Congress MLC Satej Patil highlighted that since the Nagpur-Ratnagiri highway already exists and farmers have given their land for it, there is no need of a new road on the same route.

"To construct the Shaktipeeth expressway would be a waste of money and fertile land," said Patil, while voicing his doubts that some officials were misleading the chief minister on the subject.