Chandigarh auto dealers to meet adviser over halt on registration of non-electric two-wheelers

There are around 15 auto dealers in Chandigarh who will be affected with this decision. The auto dealers said that the administration’s decision will lead to huge financial loss to the dealers in the city and will put an extra burden on the pockets of the buyers.

Opposing the UT administration’s decision of stopping the registration of non-electric two-wheelers from February 10, the auto dealers of the city on Thursday said they will meet the UT adviser and the UT administrator and demand review of the decision.

Out of 50,874 vehicles of all categories sold in Chandigarh in 2022, 22,003 were two-wheelers. Similarly, 2,520 two-wheelers were sold out of a total 5,907 vehicles till date this year in the city. (HT File)

The auto dealers said that the administration’s decision will lead to huge financial loss to the dealers in the city and will put an extra burden on the pockets of the buyers.

Ranjeev Dahuja, president, Federation of Automobile Dealers of Chandigarh, said, “At present, the city does not have adequate infrastructure and charging points to provide ease of mobility for the residents. Even the dealers who are selling the electric two-wheelers are short of supply and they will also be not able to meet the demand. With the implementation of the administration’s decision, buyers are left with no choice but to buy expensive electric two-wheelers and they will also suffer in getting the facilities through electric-vehicle related infrastructure.”

“On Thursday, the auto dealers conducted a meeting and we will soon meet the UT adviser and the UT administrator and give a representation to review the decision,” Dahuja said, adding that Chandigarh is the only place to come up with such a policy that leaves no personal choice for the people. “Such decisions should be made after Centre’s intervention,” he said.

Karan Gilhotra, vice-president of the federation, said the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the apex national body of automobile retail industry in India, said, “This decision will only impact the auto dealers in Chandigarh as people can simply buy the petrol or diesel two-wheelers from dealers in Mohali and Panchkula and get registered from there. Electric vehicles are expensive and people should not be forced to buy them. Instead of forcing the people to buy EV, the administration must come up with more schemes and subsidies to promote buying of EVs by choice. We are also in talks with the Central government to resolve the issue.”

Out of 50,874 vehicles of all categories sold in the city in 2022, 22,003 were two-wheelers. Similarly, 2,520 two-wheelers were sold out of a total 5,907 vehicles till date this year in the city.

As per a notification issued on Wednesday, two-wheelers running on conventional fuels will not be registered by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA), Chandigarh, in the current financial year, up to March 31, 2023, in pursuance of Electric Vehicle Policy, 2022.

The policy, which was notified in September 2022, will be applicable for five years, during which the administration plans to gradually stop registering fuel-run vehicles to dissuade people from buying vehicles that cause pollution.