In a significant act of protest, commuters across Punjab will not have to pay toll fees at 49 major plazas for a three-hour window on Monday. The move, announced by the Quami Insaaf Morcha, is a direct action to demand the release of Sikh prisoners, often referred to as 'Bandi Singhs', who have completed their jail terms but remain incarcerated.
Protest Details and Key Locations
The toll-free period was scheduled from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm on Monday, January 12, 2026. Activists from the Morcha physically intervened to prevent toll collection, allowing vehicles to pass through without payment or barricades. This action is estimated to cause monetary losses worth crores of rupees to the state exchequer within this short span.
Among the key toll plazas affected are some of the busiest and most expensive in the state:
- The Ladhowal toll plaza on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar highway, operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and known as one of the costliest in Punjab.
- The Kurali toll plaza located in the Mohali district.
- The Balachaur toll plaza was also specifically named as a major site of the protest.
The Core Demand: Justice for 'Bandi Singhs'
Pal Singh France, the convenor of the Quami Insaaf Morcha, articulated the group's longstanding grievance. He stated that for years, they have been demanding the release of Sikh prisoners who have served their full sentences yet continue to languish in jails across India.
"They are not even being granted parole, which is their fundamental right," France said. "We will be freeing the toll plazas today to wake up the governments from its deep slumber. They cannot deny the basic rights of the Sikh prisoners."
The protest aims to draw urgent attention from both the state and central governments to what the Morcha calls a denial of basic legal and human rights.
Broader Campaign and Support
The Quami Insaaf Morcha's activism extends beyond the issue of Sikh prisoners. They have been actively campaigning for justice in the 2015 sacrilege incidents and the Behbal Kalan firing cases. Since January 2023, the group has maintained a permanent protest site in Mohali, with supporters having marched towards Chandigarh and organized demonstrations in Bargari and surrounding areas.
France also mentioned that the Monday protest received backing from labour and farmers' unions, whose members joined the activists at various toll plazas to amplify the call for justice. This coalition highlights the widening support for the Morcha's cause within Punjab's civil society.
The direct action at toll plazas represents an escalation in their protest methodology, moving from sustained sit-ins to targeted economic disruption designed to force the authorities to address their demands.
