Traffic on National Highway 48 near the Kognoli toll plaza on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border has been affected by an ongoing sugarcane-rate agitation, prompting the Maharashtra Highway Police to advise motorists travelling from Kolhapur towards Belagavi and Bengaluru to plan their journeys and use alternative routes.
The agitation began on the morning of October 13 over demands related to sugarcane rates, ethanol prices and other issues. The protest was still continuing when the advisory was issued, and the timing of its conclusion remained unclear, according to a report by Sakal – Pune.
Special Inspector General Ranjan Kumar Sharma appealed to drivers to take the disruption into account before starting their journey. The affected location is an important section of the highway route connecting western Maharashtra with northern Karnataka and Bengaluru, making the blockade relevant to long-distance passenger vehicles as well as heavy goods vehicles.
The Maharashtra Highway Police’s Pune Range Superintendent of Police office has also requested Google Maps management to record the relevant road closure near the Kognoli toll plaza. The request is intended to alert people planning journeys through the area while the agitation continues.
Police said the move was necessary because of the uncertainty over when the protest would end and the risk of inconvenience to long-distance travellers and freight operators. Drivers have been advised to check the latest traffic conditions before leaving, consider alternative routes wherever possible and follow instructions issued by highway police personnel.
The disruption also highlights the operational role of digital navigation platforms during sudden road closures. A road-closure notification can help prevent vehicles from being directed towards a blocked toll plaza, although the police advisory remains the primary guidance for travellers using the route.
The highway police said the restriction notice on Google Maps would be removed after traffic returns to normal, and that the relevant agencies would be informed once the road is reopened. Until then, motorists heading from Kolhapur towards Belagavi and Bengaluru have been asked to account for possible delays and avoid the Kognoli toll plaza route if an alternative is available.
