Low Diwali Bonus Sparks Hours-Long Strike At Toll Plaza Of Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Angry Staff Opens Toll Gates For More Than 5,000 Vehicles
Twenty-one employees of the Fatehabad toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway went on strike after not receiving their Diwali bonus. As a result, the toll plaza became free from midnight on Saturday. Reports say that it remained un-operational till Sunday, and vehicles were passing through without paying tolls.
Employees of the Shri Sai and Datar companies opened the toll plaza's boom on Saturday night and staged a protest. According to one report, the employees say that for the past two or three days, the company has been telling them that their bonus money will be credited to their accounts, but they have not yet received it. They said the strike will continue until the demands are met.
While another report said that the employees were given a lower bonus than the previous year. Reports said that an hour-long strike was over, just 1,100 a Diwali bonus, less than last year's ₹5,000 bonus.
Officials tried to reason with the employees, but they refused, and vehicles continued to pass through the toll plaza. Among those protesting were Mintu Singh Dhakare, Ramkumar Keshav Singh Gurjar, Shivkumar, Sachin Goswami, Dilip Pandey, and Atul. Datar Company's General Manager Sanjay Sikka said that efforts are being made to end the strike.
Mumbai Fire Brigade Receives Over 32 Fire Calls Amid Diwali
The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) was inundated with over 32 fire-related calls across the city on Monday, following widespread Diwali celebrations. While most incidents were minor, the department confirmed that no major injuries were reported from these cases. Fire officials reportedly received emergency calls continuously since midnight as fireworks and festive activities triggered multiple small blazes across Mumbai.
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