Toll staff at Fatehabad plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway lifted barriers over a low Diwali bonus, letting ~5,000 vehicles pass free; police intervene, company agrees pay hike.
Angry over a meagre Diwali bonus, 21 contract workers at the Fatehabad toll plaza on the Agra–Lucknow Expressway opened all barriers overnight, allowing roughly 5,000 vehicles to pass without paying tolls and briefly halting normal operations. The protest began after workers—employed by Shri Sign & Datar—said they received only ₹1,100 as a Diwali bonus despite irregular salary payments and long shifts; the company’s move to replace staff further inflamed the dispute. Police rushed to the scene to mediate and restore order.
The action created immediate revenue loss for toll operators and disrupted commuters on a major Uttar Pradesh artery that links Agra, Lucknow and the National Capital Region. Company officials attempted to bring replacement staff from other booths, but protesters blocked them, intensifying the standoff. Following negotiations, management offered a 10% salary hike and assurances of improved working conditions; the protest ended after about ten hours when workers accepted the terms.
This incident underlines two growing storylines: labour unrest among contract toll workers over pay and bonuses, and operational vulnerabilities on tolled expressways when front-line staff stage walkouts. For traffic and logistics publishers, target queries such as “Fatehabad toll protest Diwali bonus 2025,” “Agra Lucknow Expressway toll free passage,” and “why toll workers protest bonus” to capture search intent. For community impact coverage, add local reaction, commuter quotes and company statements to strengthen topical authority and rank for long-tail searches like “toll plaza workers bonus dispute Fatehabad timeline” alongside short keywords like “toll protest today” and “Agra Lucknow Expressway news.”
