The Maharashtra Highway Police have advised motorists travelling towards Karnataka to avoid the National Highway 48 (NH 48) through Kolhapur, Satara and Pune unless necessary, as a farmers’ protest at the Kognoli toll plaza in Karnataka continues to disrupt interstate traffic.
The agitation, which began on Tuesday morning over demands concerning sugarcane and ethanol prices, has affected vehicles travelling from Maharashtra towards Belagavi and Bengaluru. Although the protest was expected to end soon, there is no clarity on when it will be called off, according to a police advisory issued on Wednesday.
Motorists, particularly those undertaking long-distance journeys, have been asked to plan their trips accordingly and use alternative routes to avoid congestion and delays.
Police recommend separate routes for cars and heavy vehicles
Special Inspector General of Police for the Kolhapur Range, Ranjan Kumar Sharma, said traffic conditions could take time to return to normal and urged commuters to avoid the affected stretch unless their journey was necessary.
For passenger vehicles, including cars, jeeps, private vehicles and buses, police have recommended the following alternative route:
Satara – Rahimatpur – Pusesavalii – Vita – Tasgaon – Miraj – Kagawad – Raybag – Gokak – Belagavi.
For goods and heavy vehicles, including trucks, container vehicles and trailers, the suggested route is:
Satara – Karad – Peth Naka – Islampur – Ashta – Miraj – Kagawad – Raybag – Gokak – Belagavi.
Sharma said the police would issue a fresh update once the situation improved.
No obstruction within Maharashtra, police say
Superintendent of Police Shivaji Pawar of the Highway Safety Patrol in Pune said there was currently no obstruction to traffic within Maharashtra’s jurisdiction and vehicles continued to move smoothly within the state.
However, he cautioned that the impact of the agitation on interstate movement along NH 48 should be factored into travel plans.
The highway is a key transport corridor linking major cities and carrying passenger and commercial traffic across several states. Disruptions near the Karnataka border can therefore lead to delays for commuters and goods vehicles travelling towards Belagavi and Bengaluru.
Google Maps asked to flag affected stretch
The Maharashtra Highway Police have requested Google Maps to mark the affected section of NH 48 as blocked because of the protest, display traffic delays and recommend alternative routes until the agitation ends.
Police said further updates would be issued when traffic movement returned to normal. Motorists, bus operators and heavy vehicle drivers have been urged to follow the advisory and cooperate with the authorities to prevent avoidable congestion and delays.