New Delhi: India was once divided by a wall that ran from Punjab to Orissa. It was a customs barrier built by the British across India primarily to collect the salt tax.
The wall had its beginnings in a series of customs houses that were established in Bengal in 1803 to prevent the smuggling of salt to avoid the tax because salt was one of the most smuggled item back then due to high prices.
Salt tax brought East India Company the biggest chunk of their revenue. In 1784-85 alone salt tax brought them revenue of 62,57,470 rupees.
