Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening
The 31-hour blockade on NH-48 between Maharashtra’s Kagal and Karnataka’s Belagavi was lifted on Wednesday evening, restoring traffic movement along the highway. The blockade, led by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti at the Kognoli toll plaza along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border, was launched at 11 am on Tuesday to press for a minimum retail sugar price of Rs 50 per kg and an ethanol procurement price of Rs 70 per kg. Long queues built up on both sides of the border after the blockade began at 11 am on Tuesday. Around 150 heavy vehicles remained stuck on the Maharashtra side alone. “There were 150 heavy vehicles stranded on the Maharashtra side. Calling it a difficult season marked by lower cane availability, Fadnavis said early crushing had been permitted from Oct 15 to ensure farmers receive payments sooner, despite concerns over sugar recovery.
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The alternative routes were two-way roads, so there was little chance of heavy vehicles passing through,” said assistant inspector Rani Patil, of the Highway Police. Acknowledging the hardship caused to commuters, Shetti said the road blockade had served its purpose of drawing the Centre’s attention to cane growers’ demands. “While we have lifted the blockade, we have not stopped the agitation,” he said on Wednesday evening. Announcing a change in strategy, Shetti said farmers would now target sugar factories instead of highways. On the Karnataka side, farmers will also march to the Hubballi residence of Union minister Prahlad Joshi, he said. Warning that Karnataka mills could procure cane from Maharashtra if local factories remain shut, he said, “If mills in Maharashtra are kept shut, then mills in Karnataka will take away sugar cane grown by our farmers.
Similarly, Karnataka outfits blocked the Hattargi toll booth ahead of Belagavi. The biggest impact was felt by commuters and transporters. With no diversion plan in place initially, motorists were left stranded for hours. Police appealed to motorists to avoid travelling towards Karnataka and use alternative routes. Most of the commuters took the Lakshmi Tekdi-Hupari-Belagavi and Murgud Naka-Hupari-Belagavi routes. trucks and containers had no such option While cars and other light vehicles managed to negotiate internal roads. Drivers and cleaners reportedly ran short of food and drinking water as the blockade stretched into a second day. State transport buses from both Maharashtra and Karnataka were also hit, with services coming to a standstill on the route. Only some private buses continued operations through diversions. From Thursday, protesters will march to sugar mills in Satara and Sangli districts, stop sugar from leaving warehouses and prevent transportation of cane to factories. Farmer organisations from both states will meet again in Hubballi after three days to decide the next course of action. The decision to withdraw the blockade came even as the Centre constituted a committee headed by former NITI Aayog member Prof Ramesh Chand to examine issues related to sugarcane farmers and the sugar sector. Karnataka mills eyeing Maharashtra cane, warns Fadnavis Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis urged farmers not to prevent mills from starting crushing operations. It will further affect our sugar mills. Download the TOI App.
Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening Traffic at Kognoli toll booth resumed on Wednesday evening Kolhapur: Hundreds of trucks remained stranded, bus services were disrupted and motorists were forced to take long detours for over a day as farmers from Maharashtra and Karnataka blocked the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, bringing traffic to a near standstill.
