Angry Employees at Toll Plaza Open Gates Over Low Diwali Bonus; Company Loses Approx ₹33 Lakh
Angry Employees at Toll Plaza Open Gates Over Low Diwali Bonus; Company Loses Approx ₹33 Lakh
Around 5,000 vehicles passed through the Agra–Lucknow Expressway toll booth for free following employee protest over reduced bonus payment.
A protest by 21 employees at the Fatehabad toll plaza on the Agra–Lucknow Expressway resulted in the toll gates being kept open from midnight on Saturday until 10 a.m. on Sunday, allowing nearly 5,000 vehicles to pass without paying.
The action followed employee complaints that their Diwali bonus was reduced to ₹1,100, compared with ₹5,000 the previous year.
Based on the one-way toll rate of ₹665 per car, the company estimates a revenue loss of around ₹33.25 lakh, assuming all 5,000 passages were cars and no heavy vehicles were included.
The toll collector, Shri Sign & Datar, had assumed contract operations in March and argued that the shorter tenure restricted their bonus payout capability.
The company and employees reached a resolution after intervention by local police.
The employees agreed to return to duty when the management committed to a 10 per-cent salary increase going forward. Toll collection resumed at 10 a.m. on Sunday, and normal operations have been restored, according to authorities.
