Archive · 2 Nov 2025
Toll Plaza Employees Protest Low Diwali Bonus by Opening Gates
Imagine you work at a place that collects money from cars, and for a special holiday, you usually get a bonus, like an extra treat.
This year, your bonus was made much smaller.
You and your friends, who also felt it was unfair, decided to do something about it.
You all left your jobs at the gates for a little while and opened them up so all the cars could pass without paying.
This caused the company to lose money quickly.
Because of this, the company decided to give you and your coworkers a 10% raise in your regular pay to make things better.
It's like saying, 'We heard you, and we're fixing it.'
21 toll plaza employees on the Agra-Lucknow E-way protested a reduced Diwali bonus.
They opened the toll gates, allowing thousands of vehicles to pass without paying.
The protest resulted in a significant financial loss for the toll company.
In response, the toll company immediately offered the employees a 10% pay rise.
The article reflects on the 'underdog' narrative and the appeal of unconventional protests against perceived injustices.
- Who
- Twenty-one employees at a toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow E-way
- What
- Protested a low Diwali bonus by opening toll gates, resulting in a financial loss for the company and a subsequent 10% pay rise for the employees.
- When
- Ahead of Diwali (implied by Diwali bonus)
- Where
- A toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow E-way
- Why
- Displeasure over a significantly reduced Diwali bonus.
Employee Perspective
Company Perspective
Diwali Bonus
Employee Perspective
The Diwali bonus was reduced arbitrarily and offensively from Rs 5,000 in 2024 to Rs 1,100 in 2025, which is unfair.
Company Perspective
The article does not explicitly state the company's justification for the bonus reduction, but their offer of a 10% pay rise suggests an acknowledgment of employee dissatisfaction.
Method of Protest
Employee Perspective
Opening the gates was a novel and effective way to protest unfair treatment and get their due, viewed as poetic justice.
Company Perspective
Opening the gates constituted a dereliction of duty and a disruption of normal operations, leading to financial loss.
- Location
- Agra-Lucknow E-way Toll Plaza
- Number of Employees Involved
- 21
- Reason for Protest
- Meagre Diwali bonus (Rs 1,100 in 2025 vs Rs 5,000 in 2024)
- Method of Protest
- Opened toll gates, allowing free passage
- Toll Company's Response
- Immediate 10% pay rise