Boom in deliveries of new vehicles on Dhanteras

Chandigarh, November 10

The city witnessed a boom in the deliveries of new vehicles on the occasion of Dhanteras today.

Most of the buyers had visited outlets and booked new two-wheelers yesterday after the UT Administration resumed the registration of non-electric two-wheelers till Gurpurb on November 27.

An official said 340 two-wheelers and 200 four-wheelers were registered till around 9 pm in the city today.

A dealer said nearly 100 motorcycles were sold on temporary registration numbers.

However, a dealer said nearly 700 two-wheelers running on internal combustion engine (ICE) were booked for Dhanteras and Diwali, but many buyers had cancelled the bookings after the UT Administration had stopped the registration of fuel-based two-wheelers on October 29 upon reaching the additional quota of 1,609 such vehicles fixed for 2023-24 in the revised Electric Vehicle (EV) policy.

The city has 10 automobile dealers who collectively sell around 20,000 non-electric two-wheelers annually, nearly 1,600 each month. During the festival season, this number surges to around 4,000 a month.

The UT Administration had earlier revised its EV policy on October 18, reducing the registration target for electric two-wheelers to 15 per cent for 2023-24, down from 25 per cent. With this revision, additional 1,609 non-electric two-wheelers could be registered till March 31 next year.

The registration target for personal electric cars was also lowered to 12 per cent from the previous 25 per cent. Also, the quota for registration of four-wheelers was extended to nearly 17,000 against the earlier target fixed for 15,465 for the financial year.

The RLA had stopped the registration of fuel two-wheelers on achieving the target fixed for 2023-24 on October 6. At that time, only 12,076 two-wheelers running on petrol had to be registered in the city till March 31 next year.

Bookings cancelled after EV policy cap

However, a dealer said nearly 700 two-wheelers running on internal combustion engine (ICE) were booked for Dhanteras and Diwali, but many buyers had cancelled the bookings after the UT Administration had stopped the registration of fuel-based two-wheelers on October 29.

Jewellers do brisk business

The sale of gold and silver articles also picked up on Dhanteras. “The business was brisk on the auspicious day. The demand for gold and silver coins was high and people also bought gold articles,” said a local jewellery store owner.