Wed, 4 Nov, 2026, 04:18 pm
Reported by The Indian Express
Traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway (NH-48) was disrupted on Wednesday as farmers’ union Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana staged road blockades at Nagthane in Satara district and Kini toll plaza in Kolhapur district, demanding an initial payment of Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
The agitation began at 11 am on Tuesday. Traffic has since come to a standstill at several locations along the highway, including Satara, Nagthane, Atit, Umbraj and Kini-Wathar. The blockade has caused severe congestion on both the Kolhapur-bound and Mumbai-bound carriageways, forcing the police to divert vehicles through interior village roads.
The blockade is the latest in a series of protests. For the past two months, sugarcane growers in Maharashtra have been agitating for what they call a fair price for their produce, accusing both the state government and mill owners of ignoring their concerns.
Cheated advances, mounting debt: The bitter reality for sugarcane transporters in Maharashtra Farmers spent the night on the Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway at Kini toll plaza in Kolhapur district. (Photo: Special arrangement) ‘Ready to celebrate Diwali on the road’ Addressing the media on Wednesday, Raju Shetti, founder of the Sanghatana, said the protesters had been on the road for over 24 hours without any official visiting them.
