Thousands of vehicles passed through the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Fatehabad, Uttar Pradesh, without paying toll charges after frustrated employees opened all gates in protest over not receiving their Diwali bonus. The unrest caused a two-hour disruption in toll operations and traffic management before authorities intervened.
According to officials, around 21 staff members at the Fatehabad toll plaza, operated by Shri Sign & Datar Company, launched the protest after receiving only Rs 1,100 as a Diwali bonus. The employees alleged that the amount was unfairly low and failed to reflect the revenue generated by the toll in recent months, India Today reported.
The company, which took over toll operations in March this year, has reportedly been facing internal disagreements with its staff over bonus calculations and payment structures during festive seasons.
Protest Escalates As Thousands Cross Plaza Free Of Cost
Tensions rose when the workers, dissatisfied with management’s explanation, decided to stop work entirely and open all toll gates, allowing thousands of vehicles to cross the expressway without paying any charges.
As traffic flowed freely, toll management attempted to bring in replacement staff from nearby plazas. However, protesting employees blocked the new workers from taking charge, worsening the stand-off.
Police personnel soon reached the site to restore order and initiate talks between toll authorities and the protesting staff. “The situation was brought under control after discussions were held with the employees,” a local police official said.
Company Promises Salary Hike To End The Stalemate
Following negotiations, senior representatives of Shri Sign & Datar offered a 10 percent salary hike as an immediate measure to resolve the dispute. Under this assurance, workers agreed to resume duties, and normal toll operations were restored within two hours.
Company officials maintained that the limited Diwali bonus was justified, explaining that they had only taken charge of the toll contract in March and thus were not obligated to pay a full year’s bonus.
By Monday evening, traffic on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway had returned to normal, though officials said they were reviewing the incident to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
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