Residents of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh came together at the Mehatpur entry toll barrier in Himachal Pradesh to protest against the sharp increase in entry tax on vehicles registered outside the state. The protest reflected deep public anger and shared social and economic ties between people living on both sides of the border. The Himachal Pradesh Government recently raised the entry tax for vehicles registered outside the state from Rs 70 to 170, triggering resentment among daily commuters, traders, lawyers, employees, and families who cross the border frequently for work, education, healthcare, and social obligations.Protesters said the hike was sudden, steep, and insensitive to the realities of border populations. The gathering saw slogans against the tax hike and appeals for its immediate rollback. From the Punjab side, the protest was led by common people residing on state borders and BJP leader Rakesh Pammi. From the Himachal side, leadership came from BJP MLA from Una and former state BJP president Satpal Satti.Subhash Sharma, state vice-president of Punjab BJP, said, “Political borders should not become walls between people who have lived like one family for generations. Punjab and Himachal were separated administratively in 1966, but our social, cultural, and economic bonds remain the same. Lawyers from Ropar appear in courts in Una, patients from Himachal visit hospitals in Punjab, and students travel daily across the border. Burdening them with such a heavy tax is unfair.”Satpal Satti echoed similar sentiments, saying, “This is not a BJP or Congress issue; it is a people’s issue. Himachal Pradesh was granted full statehood in 1971, but even after that, border areas have functioned as shared spaces. The entry tax was a burden on people and should be totally abolished. It would affect tourism in the state, which is the backbone of Himachal’s economy.”Residents recalled that the entry tax was originally imposed as a nominal charge, meant largely for maintenance and regulation. Over the years, it has been revised upward, but never by such a large margin at one time. Daily commuters said the hike would translate into thousands of rupees annually, an amount many can ill afford.The protest also had a strong human interest element. Elderly residents spoke of visiting relatives across the border, while shopkeepers described losing customers due to rising travel costs. “Borders may exist on maps, but not in our hearts,” said one protester, summing up the mood of the gathering.The demonstrators warned that if the tax hike isn’t withdrawn, they’ll intensify their agitation. For now, the Mehatpur protest stands as a rare example of cross-border unity, where shared hardships have proven stronger than state lines.