Dharamshala, April 2 -- Chaos prevailed at the Himachal-Punjab borders as traffic movement on highways connecting the two states came to a standstill on Wednesday morning after protesters blocked roads demanding a complete rollback of the entry tax. The blockade led to traffic snarls, with long queues of vehicles at entry points, causing significant inconvenience to the public. Protesters blocked two key entry points-the Chandigarh-Dharamshala highway at Mehatpur in Una district and the Kiratpur-Manali highway at Garamora in Bilaspur district. Residents from Nangal and Mehatpur joined the blockade, forcing police to divert traffic through alternative routes. Traffic movement was restored a few hours later, around 2 pm, after protesters submitted a memorandum to the local administration. Protesters at Garamora demanded exemption for vehicles registered in border districts. Traffic there was restored later after local administration officials held a meeting with the protesters. "The protesters have given an ultimatum of 10 days to take a final decision, failing which they will resume their agitation. They have demanded the complete removal of the entry tax," said a senior police officer in Bilaspur. Local business owners argued the tax hike penalises residents of both states and disrupts regional commerce. The protesters accused the Himachal Pradesh government of imposing an unjust financial burden on people from neighboring Punjab. The protest follows the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government's decision on Tuesday to set a Rs.100 entry fee for non-Himachal passenger vehicles (up to 12+1 capacity). This revised figure was intended to quell backlash after an initial proposal to hike the fee from Rs.70 to Rs.130 sparked an inter-state row. Neighbouring Punjab had previously threatened to ban Himachal-registered vehicles and impose retaliatory taxes in response to the sharp tax increase. Due to road blockade at Mehatpur, passengers travelling from Una district to the industrial area of Baddi-Nalagarh faced difficulties. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) were forced to cancel several of its regular routes due to the situation, affecting passenger movement. Buses were diverted, increasing both travel time and fares. Meanwhile, in Sirmaur district, the Sirmaur Truck Operators Union also protested against the increased entry tax. They staged a sit-in at the barrier. During the protest, union members stopped trucks on the Yamuna River bridge, temporarily disrupting traffic. On the entry tax row, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu dismissed allegations of arbitrary hikes, asserting that the government had only rationalised existing rates. "There has been no increase. In fact, in some categories, taxes have been reduced. Minor adjustments were made to address technical issues related to Fastag," said the chief minister while talking to mediapersons after the assembly session on Wednesday. Acknowledging reports of confusion at certain border check-posts and assured corrective steps. "If there is any misunderstanding, it will be resolved. There is no intention to burden people or create inter-state tension. Punjab and Haryana are our brotherly states," Sukhu said....