Sugarcane farmers blocked national highways at several places as they stage a protest demanding higher prices for their produce and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, in Belagavi district, Karnataka. (PTI Photo)Traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway 48 (NH-48) was disrupted from Tuesday evening and remained affected until Wednesday morning due to an ongoing protest at the Kognoli toll plaza in Karnataka. This prompted the Maharashtra State Highway Police to divert vehicles heading towards Belagavi and Bengaluru via alternative routes.A key interstate corridor connecting Mumbai and Pune with Bengaluru and several industrial centres in Southern India, NH-48 carries substantial passenger and goods traffic. The disruption has caused inconvenience to motorists, bus passengers and transport operators travelling towards Karnataka, police have said.In an advisory issued on Wednesday morning, the Maharashtra Highway Police said there had been no change in the situation since Tuesday evening. The protest at the Kognoli toll plaza is being held over demands concerning sugarcane prices, an increase in ethanol prices and other related issues. The police advised motorists travelling from Mumbai towards Bengaluru via NH-48 to avoid the route as far as possible until further instructions and use alternative routes through Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts.The diversions are being implemented by the Maharashtra Highway Police’s Pune Range in coordination with the Pune Rural, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur district police.Two alternative routes have been suggested for both passenger and goods vehicles. The first passes through Satara, Rahimatpur, Pusesawali, Nevri, Vita, Tasgaon, Miraj, Kagwad, Raibag and Gokak before reaching Belagavi. The second runs through Satara, Karad, Peth Naka, Islampur, Ashta, Miraj, Kagwad, Raibag and Gokak before reaching Belagavi.The police clarified that there were no traffic obstructions within Maharashtra’s jurisdiction and that travel within the state remained unaffected. However, interstate traffic on NH-48 continued to be affected by the protest in Karnataka. The Highway Police have said updates would be issued at regular intervals until the protest ends and traffic on NH-48 is fully restored. Travellers have been asked to follow police instructions, avoid unnecessary congestion and plan their journeys accordingly.Inspector General of Police for Kolhapur range, Ranjan Kumar Sharma said, “If it is not for essential or emergency reasons, we are appealing commuters to avoid the route. For the essential and emergency reasons, commuters are advised to take the alternate route.”