Unhappy with Diwali bonus, expressway workers let vehicles pass free
What's the story
Thousands of vehicles passed through the Fatehabad toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway without paying on Monday. The incident happened after workers protested their dissatisfaction with their Diwali bonus, opening all the gates. The protest led to a major disruption in normal toll operations and traffic flow, prompting police intervention.
Bonus dispute
Discontent over Diwali bonus sparks unrest
The unrest was sparked by the 21 employees at the Fatehabad toll plaza, managed by the Shri Sign & Datar company. They were unhappy with their Diwali bonus of ₹1,100. The company had taken over management of the toll in March this year, which led to disputes over festive bonus calculation and distribution.
Unchecked passage
Strike leads to open gate chaos
The workers, demanding a higher bonus, decided to go on strike, resulting in all toll gates being opened. This led to unchecked vehicle movement on the expressway. In a bid to continue operations, toll management tried bringing staff from other plazas. Nevertheless, protesting employees stopped their replacements from working. The police reached the toll plaza to maintain peace and mediate talks between company officials and protesting workers.
Resolution efforts
Toll operations resume after employee agreement
Toll authorities assured staff of improved conditions and entered discussions to address their demands. Senior officials from the toll company promised a 10% salary hike as an immediate resolution. After the assurance of a salary hike, employees agreed to return to work. This helped restore normal toll operations after a two-hour disruption. Shri Sign & Datar defended its decision on the limited Diwali bonus, saying it took over the contract only in March and couldn't provide a full year's bonus.