Free ride on Agra-Lucknow Expressway as toll staff protest non-payment of Diwali bonus  

Employees at the Fatehabad toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway staged a protest on Sunday over the non-payment of Diwali bonuses by keeping the toll gates open, allowing vehicles to pass without paying, media reports said.

A video of the protest that went viral on social media showed vehicles moving through the toll plaza freely, reportedly causing losses amounting to several lakhs of rupees to the government.

The protesting employees, who work for Shrisai and Datar Company, alleged that they had been promised Diwali bonuses last week, but the payments were not made.

“I have been working with the company for a year, but they have not given us any bonus. We work hard, yet our salaries are not paid on time. Now, the company says it will replace us instead of giving the bonus,” one of the employees told NDTV.

The 10-hour protest ended after local authorities assured the workers that their Diwali bonuses would be released soon.