The movement of traffic on the busy Chandigarh-Manali National Highway came to a halt on Saturday as taxi and truck unions from Punjab staged a massive protest against the Himachal Pradesh Government’s entry tax hike.The protest, which began at 9 am near Kiratpur Sahib, led to a complete blockade of the highway, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours.The blockade lasted about seven hours. It was lifted after Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains came to the dharna around 4 pm and assured the protestors that government would consider imposing reciprocal taxes on Himachal-registered vehicles.The minister also said that the government would challenge the Himachal entry tax in the Supreme Court.Thousands strandedThe agitation caused long queues of vehicles on both sides, severely disrupting travel plans, especially for tourists and daily commuters heading towards hill destinations.The protesters raised slogans against the Himachal Pradesh Government, accusing it of adopting “discriminatory policies”, which they said adversely affected transporters from Punjab and other states.According to union leaders, the notification issued by the Himachal Pradesh Government exempts taxis and small commercial vehicles registered within Himachal Pradesh from the entry tax, while imposing the levy on similar vehicles coming from Punjab and other neighbouring states.‘Uneven playing field’They alleged that this selective exemption has created an uneven playing field, directly impacting their livelihoods. Transporters, particularly those operating in border areas, claimed that the new tax regime has significantly reduced their business.“Our earnings have taken a major hit due to this decision. Tourists prefer local Himachal vehicles to avoid extra charges, which is unfair to operators from Punjab,” said one of the protesting drivers.‘Against free trade’Leaders of the protesting front, including Paramjit Singh Pamma and Gaurav Rana, termed the move as “illegal” and contrary to the principles of fair trade.They further argued that the policy violated provisions aimed at preventing monopolistic and restrictive trade practices, as it favours local operators at the cost of those from other states.“The Himachal Pradesh government’s decision promotes monopoly by giving undue advantage to its own transport sector while penalising operators from Punjab and other regions,” a leader said.They demanded immediate withdrawal of the notification and the implementation of a uniform tax policy for all commercial vehicles, irrespective of their state of registration.The protesters also urged the Punjab Government to intervene in the matter and take up the issue with its Himachal counterpart to safeguard the interests of local transporters. They warned that if their concerns are not addressed promptly, the agitation could intensify in the coming days.Meanwhile, the authorities were seen trying to manage the situation and divert traffic to alternative routes, though with limited success due to the scale of the blockade. Police officials remained present at the site to maintain law and order.