Farmers call off highway blockades at Haveri in Dharwad districts

Seer Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt Fakira Dingaleshwara Swami strongly supported the agitating farmers at a press conference in Hubballi on Wednesday. | Photo credit: KIRAN BAKALE

Blockades on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway by sugarcane growers demanding remunerative price for sugarcane continued for the second day in Haveri and Dharwad districts on Wednesday, leading to traffic vehicles lining up for kilometers on the National Highway.

However, late in the evening, after marathon negotiations by officials, the farmers relented and agreed to release the barricades.

While farmers blocked the National Highway at Bankapur Toll in Haveri district, a large number of farmers continued their blockade at Yarikoppa Cross near Dharwad for the second day.

As the protest continued for a second time, public transport vehicles and buses were the most affected, while light motor vehicles were diverted on circular alternate routes.

Truck drivers and helpers rest in the shade of their trucks at Yarikoppa Cross near Dharwad, where sugarcane farmers’ highway blockade continued for the second day on Wednesday. The blockade has since been lifted. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Senior police and district authorities met and interacted with the protesting farmers to convince them to call off the protest. The marathon effort finally yielded results in the evening when the farmers relented a bit and agreed to release the roadblocks on Wednesday evening.

Now they started a foot march as part of Hubballi Chalo.

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt at Yarikoppa Cross joined the protesting farmers.

Joining the sit-in at the protest site, the seer took exception to the apathy of the Union government and Union ministers in addressing the issue.

The sugarcane growers’ protest was led by Haveri District Sugarcane Growers Association President Bhuvaneshwar Shidlapur at Bankapur toll plaza in Haveri district.

On Wednesday night, the farmers decided to withdraw the road blockade. They will now march to Dharwad on Thursday. Earlier in the day, supporters from Shiggaon taluk met the farmers to express their solidarity.

Due to the blockade of the highway, public transport bus services on the National Highway were affected and scores of commuters faced hardship.

Hundreds of trucks were parked on the highway at Yarikoppa Cross since Tuesday morning.

The police authorities said that after the road blockades were eased on Wednesday night, the movement of traffic vehicles started.

However, only one set of three lanes on the six-lane highway will be open for vehicular movement as the farmers have already started a foot march to Hubballi.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 20:33 IST