About 5,000 vehicles were allowed to move toll-free on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehabad. This was done by the toll workers who were dissatisfied with their Diwali bonus.
It all started with 21 employees working as toll workers at the Fatehabad toll plaza, managed by the Shri Sign & Datar Company. Unhappy with their Diwali bonus of ₹1,100, the employees decided to open all the toll gates. This led to a major disruption in normal toll operations and traffic flow, prompting the police to rush to the scene.
“Last year we got Rs 5,000,” said one employee. “This year, we got a justification.”
The protest began around 10 PM on Saturday, October 18, 2025. The workers allowed vehicles to move freely through the plaza without paying the ₹650 toll.
Shri Sign & Datar Company took over the plaza in March 2025, leading to disputes over the calculation and distribution of festive bonuses. With vehicles moving unchecked through the toll plaza, the management tried to bring staff over from other toll plazas, but the protesting staff prevented them from taking over.
As tensions escalated, police were called to the toll plaza, who helped facilitate dialogue between the workers and management. The toll authorities reassured and began dialogue over the employee demands. As an immediate solution, the senior officials promised a 10% salary increase to the workers.
Following the conversation and reassurances, the staff resumed working, bringing an end to the two-hour-long disruption. Shri Sign & Datar Company did stand by its stance on Diwali bonus, claiming that since the company had taken over the plaza only in March 2025, they could not promise a full-year worth of bonus.
