NANGAL, Aug. 28 — Residents and activists under the banner of the Toll Tax Hatao Morcha blocked the Nangal-Una highway on Thursday to protest the entry tax imposed by the Himachal Pradesh government on Punjab-registered vehicles.
The sit-in began around 10:30 am near the Mehatpur toll barrier on the Himachal-Punjab border and continued till noon, forcing police from both states to divert traffic to alternate routes.
The agitation drew support from the Kirti Kisan Union, which said it would escalate the issue at the state level with backing from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. “The protests will continue until Himachal withdraws the tax or Punjab imposes a reciprocal levy,” said Nangal Municipal Council president Paramjit Singh Pamma.
Residents living within a short distance of the border have complained that they too are being forced to pay the charge while entering Mehatpur for routine needs.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who represents Anandpur Sahib, joined in condemning the move. Calling the levy “illegal and unjustified,” he said, “People from Punjab frequently travel to Himachal’s border towns for employment, trade and essential services. Imposing such a steep tax disrupts their livelihoods and daily lives.”
Bains added that Nangal and Mehatpur function as “twin cities” with deep social and economic ties. “Any action that disrupts their harmony harms both sides,” he said.
The Himachal Pradesh government currently charges Rs 70 on five-seater cars and Rs 110 on seven-seaters, valid for 24 hours. In response, Nangal Municipal Council has already passed a resolution proposing a reciprocal entry tax on Himachal vehicles, which is awaiting clearance from the state’s Department of Local Bodies.
