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Thousands stranded on NH-48 as sugarcane farmers’ stir continues
The disruption has affected a nearly 120-km stretch between Nagthane in Satara district and Sangli Phata in Kolhapur district. Several heavy vehicles remained stranded on the highway, while traffic diverted through alternative routes created congestion on bypasses and smaller connecting roads.
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PUNE: Amid the festive rush, the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway (NH-48) remained blocked for the third consecutive day on Thursday due to a farmers’ agitation led by former MP Raju Shetti, who is demanding an advance payment of ₹4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
The disruption has affected a nearly 120-km stretch between Nagthane in Satara district and Sangli Phata in Kolhapur district. Several heavy vehicles remained stranded on the highway, while traffic diverted through alternative routes created congestion on bypasses and smaller connecting roads. All commuters travelling towards Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Belagavi have been affected.
“We have been stuck on the highway since last night with our children and elderly family members. We were travelling to Kolhapur to celebrate Diwali with our relatives, but our vehicle has barely moved for hours. We have limited food and water, and the children are getting restless,” said Mangesh Chirute, a passenger stranded on the highway.
Vehicles travelling from Pune towards Kolhapur and Sangli faced severe congestion from the D-Mart area in Satara to Ajintha Chowk. Although traffic was being diverted through Rahimatpur, the movement of heavy trucks on the alternative route further aggravated congestion, making it difficult for smaller vehicles to move.
Small vehicles heading towards Sangli have been advised to travel through Satara city and take the Rahimatpur route before proceeding via Pusesavali and Palus. Motorists travelling towards Kolhapur can also take alternative routes through Rahimatpur, including those connecting Ashta in Sangli district, Bagani and Peth Vadgaon. However, these roads too are coming under increasing traffic pressure, and authorities have advised commuters to check the latest road conditions before starting their journeys.
MSRTC buses affected
The blockade has also forced the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to cancel about 100 bus trips daily, adding to the difficulties faced by passengers trying to reach their hometowns for Diwali.
Arun Siya, MSRTC Pune divisional controller, said, “We had already started operating some buses through alternative routes from Wednesday, including via Sangli, Rahimatpur and Vita, to ensure that passengers stranded on the way could reach their destinations.”
“We are constantly assessing which routes can safely be used to operate services and hope that a solution will emerge soon,” Siya said.
The situation has also raised concerns over the safety of buses operating on diversion routes. According to Siya, a Karnataka-registered bus was stopped near Rahimatpur, beyond Satara, on Thursday and its window panes were damaged, highlighting the risks faced by passenger vehicles even after being diverted from the main highway.
Commercial vehicles disrupted
The agitation has also disrupted the movement of commercial vehicles and essential commodities. Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra State Transporters Association, said more than 1,500 trucks carrying goods, including grains, vegetables and other essential commodities, had been stranded on the highway for the past two days.
“More than 1,500 trucks carrying different types of goods, including grains, vegetables and other commodities, have remained stranded on the highway for the last two days. The prolonged blockade is causing major losses to transporters and could also affect the supply chain if the situation continues,” Shinde said.
The stand-off
The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana has warned of intensifying the agitation if the government and sugar factories fail to reach a settlement. Shetti has also threatened to disrupt the supply of milk and vegetables to Mumbai and Pune, raising concerns about the potential impact on essential commodity supplies in both cities.
Meanwhile, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government fixes the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), while payments over and above the FRP have to be negotiated between sugar factory owners and farmers. He said, “Minister Hasan Mushrif had been asked to hold discussions with the stakeholders and work towards resolving the dispute.”
With talks expected to continue, passengers and transport operators are hoping for an early settlement to restore normal traffic movement on the Pune-Bengaluru highway.
