Pune: The proposed Pune-Nashik Industrial Highway, which had faced significant resistance from farmers in the Junnar, Ambegaon, Shirur, and Sangamner talukas, is set to be officially canceled.
This decision comes after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar signed the file to halt the project, with final approvals from Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expected in the next few days. A formal notification from the state government will soon follow, officially canceling the proposed highway.
The move to cancel the highway was driven by intense protests from farmers, who feared the project would adversely impact their land and livelihood.
On Sunday (September 15) night, a delegation of farmers from Ambegaon and Junnar talukas met with State Co-operation Minister Dilip Walse Patil to discuss their concerns about the highway project.
The meeting was organized under the banner of the Pune-Nashik Industrial Highway Struggle Committee. Farmer leaders, including Balasaheb Auti, Vallabh Shelke, and other prominent members of the struggle committee, expressed their firm opposition to the project.
Farmers argued that there was no need for a new highway, as the existing Pune-Nashik National Highway could be expanded instead. They also insisted that the 2013 Land Acquisition Act should be implemented in its entirety, ensuring fair compensation and proper procedures for any land acquisitions.
Failing to address these demands, they warned, would lead to further protests, including hunger strikes and demonstrations at the offices and homes of local officials, as well as a march to the Mumbai Secretariat.
During the meeting, Dilip Walse Patil reassured the farmers that their concerns were being heard at the highest levels of the state government.
"Farmers in Ambegaon, Junnar, Shirur, and Sangamner have strongly opposed this project, and their demands have been taken seriously. I, along with MLA Atul Benke, have discussed the matter in detail with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who has taken the lead in resolving the issue. Both Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are aligned with this decision, and the highway project will be canceled shortly," he said.
The protest movement has been gaining momentum in recent months. In a symbolic gesture of their opposition, farmers from nine affected villages in Junnar taluka staged a hunger strike at Rajuri earlier this year.
Local leaders, including MLA Atul Benke and MP Dr. Amol Kolhe, voiced their solidarity with the farmers, vowing to fight for their rights until the highway project was scrapped.
As the state government moves to officially cancel the project, farmers and their representatives are optimistic that their long-standing demands will be met.
"With the support of all local leaders, including Dilip Walse Patil, we are confident that the government will resolve this issue in favor of the farmers," said Balasaheb Auti, leader of the Farmer Struggle Committee.