India, Oct. 21 -- Angry over their Diwali bonus, toll workers at the Fatehabad plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway lifted all barriers on Monday, letting thousands of vehicles pass without paying. The protest briefly turned into a windfall for commuters but threw toll operations into chaos, prompting police to rush to the spot.

Twenty-one workers of the Shri Sign & Datar company that manages the Fatehabad toll post were angry after they were said to have received only Rs.1,100 as Diwali bonus.

The protest is expected to have caused the Centre losses worth lakhs of rupees as vehicles crossed the toll gates without paying any tax. At least 5,000 vehicles passed the gates free of cost, as per media reports.

A major artery for Uttar Prade...