Shimla/Bilaspur/Una (HP), April 1 Tension prevailed at the borders of Himachal Pradesh with Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday after the revised entry tax for vehicles came into effect, triggering protests and multiple traffic disruptions at various points.
Angry residents from Punjab staged a "chaka jam" at the Garmoda toll on the Kiratpur-Nerchowk road in the Bilaspur district in the morning, demanding exemption for vehicles registered in border districts.
The protesters questioned the continuation of the entry tax despite Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhub announcing a rollback and argued that there cannot be two levies on national highways.
"The residents of Himachal Pradesh are our brothers, and we have no conflict with them, but Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu should clarify that when the rollback on entry tax for small passenger vehicles was announced, why is a receipt of Rs 100 being given on entry since last night?" the protesters said.
"There cannot be two taxes on a national highway. When we are paying toll tax, there is no point in an entry tax," they argued and refused to open the blockade.
However, officials assured the protesters that their issue would be taken up with higher authorities and sought 10 days to resolve the issue, after which the blockade was lifted after almost five hours and vehicular traffic resumed.
Chief Minister Sukhu on Tuesday told the Vidhan Sabha that a hike in entry tax on five-seater and 6-12 seater passenger vehicles would be rolled back, but later in the evening, a notification was issued stating, "keeping the convenience of the general public in mind, the government has reduced the toll tax rate for passenger vehicles from Rs 130 to Rs 100".
On February 16, a notification was issued announcing that the tax for small passenger vehicles would be increased to Rs 170 from Rs 70. After receiving backlash for the hike, the tax was fixed at Rs 130.
The chief minister had told the Vidhan Sabha that some confusion is being deliberately spread over the issue, even though the increase is nominal for most categories. Relief will be provided by issuing passes to people residing within a 5-kilometre radius of the entry points, he had said.
Protests were also witnessed at other state borders, and since Wednesday morning, massive traffic jams occurred at various entry points in Kalka-Pinjore, Madhawala-Barotiwala, Baddi, and Nalagarh.
The Ilaka Bachao Sangharsh Morcha staged a protest at the barrier set up in Mehtpur on the Himachal-Punjab border. Traffic on the Dharamshala-Chandigarh highway was also disrupted.
The route from Una and Nangal via Santoshgarh has been diverted. There is also a traffic jam in Bathu-Bathri.
The leaders in the sit-in alleged that in the future, they will only feel relieved when these toll tax barriers are closed.
"We will even join forces with the people of Punjab and Haryana to boycott the Himachal tourism season and appeal to them to visit other states instead of coming here," the protestors asserted.
In view of the situation, police forces have been deployed at several locations, with authorities saying that the administration is working to control the situation.