The Himachal Land Revenue Cess decision comes soon after an earlier water cess row, which had imposed an estimated ₹400 crore burden on Punjab. The Himachal Pradesh High Court later struck down that levy as illegal, intensifying scrutiny over the new move.

The Punjab government reacted strongly, with Aam Aadmi Party Punjab spokesperson Neil Garg calling the cess a direct attack on the state’s finances. He said the Mann government will oppose the decision at every possible platform and will not allow Punjab’s interests to suffer.

Garg also accused the Congress-led Himachal government of straining relations by first laying claim to Chandigarh and now imposing the land revenue cess. He questioned the Punjab Congress’s stand and urged the Centre to intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi defended the levy. He said the state has the legal right to collect land revenue on its land and dismissed Punjab’s objections, claiming Himachal Pradesh has faced long-standing injustice.

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According to L&T, revenue from the metro operations has significantly dropped compared to previous years, leading to a net loss of ₹626 crore. The company clarified that under these conditions, it would not be able to participate in any further expansion of the metro network.

Industry experts point out that changing travel habits, the rise of work-from-home culture, and reduced commuter footfall have been key factors behind the decline in metro ridership. L&T emphasized that despite efforts to stabilize operations, the financial strain has become unsustainable, prompting the decision to exit. The development raises questions about the metro’s future expansion plans.

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