Braving heavy rain, hundreds of farmers, supported by leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), staged a rasta roko on the busy Rajiv Rahadhari highway at Rimmanaguda near Gajwel on Saturday. The farmers, carrying placards and shouting slogans, expressed anger against the state government’s failure to ensure a steady supply of urea. Led by BRS constituency in-charge Vanteru Prathapa Reddy, the protest saw men, women, and youth blocking the road, forcing vehicles on both sides to come to a grinding halt for hours. Farmers accused the Congress government of turning a blind eye to their plight, which has worsened due to the lack of timely fertiliser supplies during the peak agricultural season.
The protestors demanded immediate restoration of the Gajwel rake point, which previously served as a vital hub for transporting fertilisers by train from different parts of the country. They argued that the closure of this facility has led to severe shortages, forcing farmers to either wait endlessly for supplies or purchase urea at inflated prices in the black market. Many farmers voiced concerns that the ongoing shortage would directly impact crop yields, threatening not just their livelihoods but also the state’s overall food production. BRS leaders also accused the government of neglecting rural issues while focusing on political agendas, warning that the anger of farmers would reflect in future elections if their grievances were not addressed.
As the highway blockade stretched for several hours, commuters faced long delays with traffic building up for miles. It took considerable effort from local officials and police to negotiate with the protestors and eventually restore traffic flow on the crucial route. While the blockade was lifted after assurances of government attention, farmers reiterated that their agitation would continue unless concrete steps were taken to resolve the fertiliser crisis. The protest has once again highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the farming community in Telangana and their mounting frustration with unfulfilled promises on agricultural support.
