Nangal (National Times): In a significant development likely to escalate inter-state tensions, the Nangal Municipal Council (MC) has approved a resolution to levy an entry tax on vehicles bearing Himachal Pradesh (HP) registration numbers. The decision, passed unanimously by the 16 MC members present during a House meeting on Monday evening, is being seen as a retaliatory measure against a similar tax imposed by the Himachal Pradesh government.
The proposal was introduced by MC member Paramjit Singh Pamma, who described the move as a “reciprocal tax” aimed at countering the charges being levied on Nangal residents entering Himachal for work, family visits, or other purposes.
Pamma highlighted that Himachal authorities currently charge Rs 70 for five-seater vehicles and Rs 110 for seven-seaters registered outside the state. He labelled the tax “illegal,” pointing out that the road from Mehatpur to Himachal falls under the National Highway network, where tolls cannot be imposed on residents living within a 5-km radius of the toll plaza, according to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) guidelines.
“Himachal is the only state currently levying such an entry tax. Even Jammu and Kashmir scrapped theirs after Article 370 was revoked,” said Pamma. He asserted that Punjab should not remain passive while its residents are unfairly charged for crossing into Himachal territory.
As part of the broader plan, the Nangal MC also intends to approach other civic bodies in neighboring border towns, including Anandpur Sahib, Kiratpur Sahib, and Bharatgarh, encouraging them to adopt similar measures.
According to sources, the resolution will now be sent to the Director of Local Bodies, Punjab, for further approval. Only after receiving the green light from the state authority can Nangal officially implement the entry tax.
Once approved, the council plans to match the fee structure imposed by Himachal, charging the same amount for HP vehicles entering Nangal. Toll booths or ‘toll nakas’ will be set up across entry points into the city, with the collected funds earmarked for development projects in Nangal, Pamma confirmed.
The proposal has stirred a debate on inter-state taxation policies and may prompt discussions at the state government level if tensions between border towns escalate further.
