Thousands of vehicles enjoyed a surprising toll-free journey on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway following a protest by workers at the Fatehabad toll plaza. Employees, dissatisfied with a meager Diwali bonus of Rs 1100, opened all gates, halting operations for two hours. This led to police intervention and eventual negotiations. The core of the dispute lies with the company, Shri Sign & Datar, which took over toll management in March and faced disagreement over bonus calculations. Management’s attempts to deploy replacement staff were unsuccessful, intensifying the situation. A resolution was reached after senior officials from Shri Sign & Datar pledged a 10% salary increase, prompting the workers to resume their duties and restore normal toll collection. The company stated the bonus was limited due to their recent assumption of control, preventing a full year’s bonus calculation.
