Nashik: Farmers Protest Against Ring Road Project Outside Minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s Residence

Nashik: Alleging that their land is being usurped due to the proposed Ring Road project planned as part of the preparations for the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, farmers staged intense demonstrations in front of Minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s residence in Nashik. The farmers demanded that the alignment of the Ring Road be altered and that a fresh survey be conducted.

Even though Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was in Mumbai at the time, the farmers staged a sit-in protest outside his residence. During the demonstration, slogans such as "Wake up! Wake up!" and "Bhujbal, wake up!" were chanted. A heavy police force was deployed in the vicinity during the protest.

The farmers stated, "We have not come to pick a fight with Bhujbal; we have come to seek justice. What exactly is going on in this district? You have been implementing development policies for years, yet while you are in power, farmers are being driven onto the streets. Our land is being snatched away, and our wells are being filled up. Will you remain silent on this matter?"

One farmer remarked, "Two acres of my land are being acquired for this Ring Road. My land was acquired three times previously for the Waghad Dam project, and now it is being taken for the fourth time. Are you going to barge into our homes and assault us? Why are we being treated this way on our very own land? The alignment of this Ring Road has been determined solely to benefit certain builders. We are being deceived. We have but one demand: change the route and deliver justice."

The farmers demanded strict adherence to the Development Plan (DP) and insisted on a re-survey of the proposed route. This protest has sparked intense debate and discussion across the Nashik rural region. Against the backdrop of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, during which various development projects, including a Ring Road, are being implemented, growing opposition regarding the acquisition of farmers' land has been noted. The farmers have appealed to the government to give serious consideration to their demands.