Farmers in the Anupgarh-Gharsana region of Rajasthan escalated their agitation over the irrigation water crisis on Thursday, 24 September 2026, blocking National Highway 911 near Patroda village and disrupting traffic across key arterial routes. The protest, led by the Khet Bachao Kisan Bachao Samiti (Save Farm, Save Farmer Committee), has intensified after farmer leaders rejected verbal assurances from the government, demanding written guarantees on water regulation.

Road Blockades Spread Across the Region

A large number of farmers assembled near the Patroda bus stand and sat on NH-911, bringing traffic to a halt. Separate road blockades were simultaneously reported from rural pockets around Anupgarh, including at Luniya, where farmers blocked the road near the local bus stand in the morning hours. Farmer leaders have maintained that the irrigation shortage is not a localised problem but is hampering agricultural activity across the entire region, and they have appealed to residents from surrounding areas to join the stir.

Sit-In Outside ADM Office Enters Fourth Day

In a parallel demonstration, members of the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti continued their sit-in protest outside the Anupgarh Additional District Magistrate (ADM) office for a fourth consecutive day. Protesters have categorically stated the agitation will not be called off until the government issues clear written orders on irrigation water regulation aligned with their demands — a position they reiterated after a government delegation met them on Wednesday.

Government Offers Five Rounds; Farmers Demand Eight

During Wednesday's talks, officials reportedly assured farmers that irrigation water would be provided for five rounds, with a possible sixth round contingent on water inflow levels in the dams. Farmer leaders have rejected this offer, insisting that available water reserves and prior water-regulation arrangements justify their demand for eight full rounds of irrigation. They have made clear that verbal commitments will not suffice to suspend either the sit-in or a planned mass demonstration.

Chief Engineer Dispatched; Key Meeting Scheduled

In a sign of the agitation's growing pressure on the administration, the Chief Engineer of the Irrigation Department was being dispatched from Jaipur to Anupgarh on Thursday. According to farmer leaders, a formal meeting with the Chief Engineer was scheduled for approximately 5 pm IST at the Anupgarh ADM office, where farmers planned to press for a written order guaranteeing eight rounds of water supply. This comes amid broader farmer demands covering the accountability of irrigation officials and the renovation of the canal network.

Official Transfer and Canal Accountability Demands

Late on Wednesday night, reports emerged that Irrigation Department official Pradeep Rastogi had been transferred to Hanumangarh following sustained pressure from protesting farmers — a development farmer groups view as a partial acknowledgement of their grievances. Beyond the water-round dispute, the agitation has trained a spotlight on the functioning of departmental officials and the deteriorating state of the local canal network. Farmers say they will not stand down until the government delivers concrete, written commitments on all key demands.