Violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida on Monday at a protest by factory workers seeking wage hikes, with arson, throwing of stones and vandalism reported from several parts of the city, PTI reported.

A large number of workers from several industrial units had gathered in parts of Noida to press long-standing demands that their salaries be increased.

The protests began last week after the Haryana government increased monthly minimum wages to Rs 19,000 from Rs 14,000, The Times of India reported. The minimum wage in Uttar Pradesh is Rs 13,000.

On Monday, several vehicles and other properties were damaged during the violence, which took place in the Phase 2 and Sector 60 areas.

Videos widely shared on social media showed some protesters throwing stones and vandalising property, and security personnel trying to bring the situation under control.

The protests led to traffic jams on several key roads in Noida on Monday morning. The Delhi Traffic Police initially said that the agitators had blocked the Noida Link Road at the Chilla border, because of which the movement of vehicles had been severely hampered.

The Noida Traffic Police had released a video showing vehicles at the Chilla border being diverted.

However, Delhi Traffic Police said at 1.49 pm that the Chilla border had been opened for traffic.

On Sunday, Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh’s principal secretary (labour) and labour commissioner, during which several matters, including “the protection of workers’ interests, double payment for overtime, bonus, weekly holidays and workplace safety” were discussed.

Chief Minister Adityanath said that workers must get their dues and industries need to follow labour laws, NDTV reported. However, he told officials to take strict action against “anti-social elements” who were allegedly trying to incite workers.

Workers’ demands

The protesters have been demanding that the minimum wage in Uttar Pradesh be hiked, arguing that their counterparts in neighbouring Haryana get paid more for the same work.

They also expressed concerns about unsafe workplaces, the lack of weekly holidays and the lack of grievance redressal mechanisms, NDTV reported.

“We are just asking for two things,” the channel quoted Lakshmi, one of the demonstrators, as saying. “One is overtime pay, and the other is a minimum wage of Rs 20,000 a month. We are being exploited in our company. We aren’t given meals at the proper time, and there is no safety for women.”

On Sunday, after two days of protests, the Noida administration announced compulsory weekly offs for workers, double pay for overtime and work on weekly holidays, an annual bonus before November 30, and the payment of salaries by the 10th day of every month, The Times of India reported.