The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has announced a shutdown and proposed blockade of the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway near the Gananguru toll plaza in Mandya on October 23, citing demands for higher sugarcane prices and a complete waiver of farm loans.
KRRS leader Badagalapura Nagendra said farmers would block the highway to pressure the Karnataka and central governments to act on the demands. The proposed action could affect traffic on one of the main road links between Bengaluru and Mysuru, although the report does not specify the expected duration or the arrangements authorities may make for motorists.
The farmers’ organisation is demanding that the price of sugarcane be increased to Rs 5,500 per tonne. Nagendra said farmers in North Karnataka were already protesting over the issue and referred to support provided to sugarcane growers in Tamil Nadu. The organisation has also demanded that outstanding payments owed to farmers be cleared.
Nagendra alleged that the state government had failed to hold sugar factories accountable for delays in paying farmers for cane supplied to them. He said several mills were owned by political leaders from different parties, while farmers continued to face delays in receiving their dues. The report did not provide details of the amount outstanding or identify the mills involved.
The highway action links an agricultural payment dispute to a wider mobility concern. The Gananguru toll plaza is located on the Bengaluru-Mysuru route, making any proposed blockade there relevant to intercity commuters, commercial vehicles and other road users travelling between the two cities. No official response from the state government, central government, highway authorities or local administration was cited in the report.
KRRS has placed the sugarcane price demand and farm-loan waiver at the centre of the proposed shutdown. A complete loan waiver, the organisation said, is needed to provide relief to farmers facing financial difficulties. The report did not state whether negotiations with the authorities had been scheduled before October 23.
The proposed blockade is therefore subject to developments between the announcement and the planned protest date. Further clarity is expected from the authorities and the organisers on traffic management, the scale of participation and whether the highway action will proceed as announced.
