Nangal turns into night-time parking hub for Himachal mining tippers after ban on Una roads from evening to morning

A sudden ban imposed by Una district administration of Himachal on the movement of mining tippers during night hours has triggered an unexpected crisis in Punjab’s border town of Nangal, where long lines of heavy vehicles now choke local roads every evening. Residents say the town has virtually turned into a night-time parking hub for tippers carrying mined material from Himachal Pradesh, creating traffic hazards and raising serious safety concerns.

The Una administration, which is facing political heat after the recent shooting of a Congress leader allegedly linked to mining rivalry, has prohibited tippers carrying mined material from using its roads between 5 pm and 6 am. With movement banned during these hours, hundreds of tippers halt just before entering Himachal, spilling into Nangal’s road stretches.

Local residents and civic representatives say the situation has worsened in the past few days. Municipal councillor Paramjit Singh Pamma said the problem that once plagued Una had now been “dumped” on Punjab.

“Long queues of tippers filled with tonnes of mined material are parked on both sides of the road in Nangal every night. Hardly any space is left for regular commuters to pass. It is a massive traffic hazard,” he said.

Pamma urged the Ropar district administration to take strict action against illegal parking of mining vehicles and prevent Nangal from becoming a casualty of Himachal’s administrative decisions.

Residents say the danger extends beyond inconvenience. Raman Sharma, a local resident, warned that allowing such heavy vehicles to park in narrow stretches could lead to fatal accidents. “The administration cannot allow Nangal to become a parking lot for Himachal’s mining industry. If one of these heavy vehicles loses balance or if visibility decreases at night, it can cause a serious mishap,” he said.

With little choice left due to the night-time travel restriction, tipper drivers are reportedly arriving in Nangal late in the afternoon and remaining parked until morning before resuming their journey towards Una. The pressure of large-scale commercial mining traffic, locals argue, is too heavy for a peaceful border town to bear.

When contacted, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Singh Walia acknowledged the issue and assured action. He said instructions would be issued to the Nangal administration and transport authorities to act against tippers parked illegally along public roads.

“The local administration will be directed to take necessary steps to ensure smooth traffic movement and prevent unsafe parking of mining vehicles in border towns,” he said.

Residents hope the enforcement begins at the earliest, as the nightly blockade of roads has already begun affecting movement of emergency vehicles, school buses, and commuters returning from work.