Ropar: The entry tax dispute between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh escalated on Saturday, with a group of Nihang Singhs issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the Punjab government, warning they would set up encampments along the inter-state border and impose a reciprocal levy on Himachal-registered vehicles if no action is taken.At a gathering at Moura toll plaza near Kiratpur Sahib, Nihang Singhs led by Baba Achchhar Singh said they would establish camps with horses and carts at key border points after the deadline. Vehicles from Himachal would be charged an amount equivalent to the entry fee currently imposed on Punjab vehicles entering the hill state.Calling it a matter of “honour and rights”, Baba Achchhar Singh said Punjab residents were being harassed. “This is not merely a tax issue. We will not tolerate the harassment of our travellers,” he said.The row follows Himachal Pradesh’s decision, effective April 1, to sharply increase entry charges under the HP Tolls Act, 1975. “Entry charges for private five-seater vehicles from other states rose from Rs 70 to Rs 170, while commercial vehicles faced increases of up to Rs 800,” said Gaurav Rana, who has been part of the agitation.Rana said residents of Punjab’s border areas who commute daily to Himachal Pradesh for work could end up paying nearly Rs 4,000 a month. He also claimed Himachal Pradesh is the only state imposing such a levy on out-of-state vehicles, adding that the state expects to generate over Rs 170 crore through the revised tolls this fiscal.The protest at Moura toll plaza, which lasted about seven hours and saw toll collection suspended, was called off around 7.30pm after NHAI authorities assured in writing that the matter had been taken up with the Himachal government regarding permissions for the toll barrier at Gara Maura on NH-205.The issue has also reached the Punjab Assembly, where Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the government is examining the possibility of imposing a similar levy on Himachal vehicles entering Punjab.Protesters expressed cautious optimism after talks with ministers but warned that stronger steps would follow if the tax is not withdrawn. With Nihang Singhs joining the agitation and the deadline set, focus is now on the Punjab government’s next move.
