Thousands of commuters and over 1,500 commercial trucks remain stranded on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway (NH-48) as a major sugarcane farmers’ protest led by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti entered its third consecutive day on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The agitation has crippled a 120-kilometer stretch of the highway between Nagthane in Satara district and Sangli Phata in Kolhapur district, severely disrupting festive travel ahead of Diwali and causing heavy supply chain bottlenecks across Western Maharashtra and North Karnataka.
Demand for ₹4,500 Advance FRP & Mumbai-Pune Supply Threat
Farmer leader Raju Shetti and the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana are demanding an advance payment of ₹4,500 per tonne for sugarcane from sugar mill operators before the crushing season begins:
- Escalation Warning: Shetti warned that if the state government and sugar factory owners fail to reach an immediate settlement, farmers will block the supply of essential milk and vegetables to Mumbai and Pune.
- Government Response: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that while the government fixes the statutory Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), any payment above the FRP must be negotiated between sugar mills and farmers. Minister Hasan Mushrif has been deputed to mediate talks between the opposing factions.
Commuter Chaos, Bus Cancellations, and Freight Impact
The prolonged blockade has caused widespread disruption across passenger and commercial transport:
- MSRTC Bus Cancellations: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has been forced to cancel nearly 100 bus trips daily, leaving festive travelers stranded. Safety concerns mounted after a Karnataka-registered bus was vandalized near a diversion route in Rahimatpur.
- Freight and Supply Chain Bottlenecks: Over 1,500 trucks carrying food grains, fresh vegetables, and essential items remain immobile, triggering revenue loss for transport operators and threatening local market supplies.
- Traffic Diversions: Police have rerouted small vehicles traveling towards Kolhapur, Sangli, and Belagavi via Satara city, Rahimatpur, Pusesavali, and Palus. However, heavy vehicle movement on these bypasses has led to severe secondary traffic jams.
