Chandigarh: Entering Punjab is no longer cheap! The Punjab government has tripled the entry fee for vehicles carrying minerals, dealing a heavy blow to transporters and small operators.
After Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s approval, the state has rolled out revised Minor Mineral Rules, making it mandatory for every vehicle entering Punjab with minerals — whether processed or unprocessed — to pay a steep fee.
New Fee Structure:
-
Tractor-trolleys / small vehicles – ₹1,000
-
Single-axle trucks – ₹1,500
-
Double-axle vehicles – ₹3,000
This sharp hike — approved by the Punjab Cabinet last month — is being justified as a step to cover operational costs and tighten control over illegal mining. But transporters call it yet another burden on business amid already rising fuel and toll costs.
The Mines and Geology Department has issued a notification confirming that receipts will be generated at checkpoints to “ensure transparency.” Each receipt will record vehicle details, driver info, mineral type, route, and destination.
However, critics allege this move will hit the sand, gravel, and mining industries hard, potentially increasing construction material prices and paving the way for more roadside corruption under the guise of “fee collection.”
A driver crossing the Punjab border summed it up bluntly:
“Earlier, it was ₹1,000. Now it’s ₹3,000! Who’s benefiting from this — the government or the corrupt officials at barriers?”
While the government claims the move will curb illegal mining, ground voices warn it’s just another money-making scheme at the transporters’ expense.
Leave a Reply