E-Paper
EV push: Chandigarh admn may stop registering non-electric two-wheelers from July
Of the 6,200 fuel-run two-wheelers allowed in FY 2023-24 under the Chandigarh EV policy, 3,700 have already been registered
The UT transport department is likely to stop registration of non-electric two-wheelers from July, as the targeted number of such vehicles in the current financial year, as fixed under the 2022 Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, is expected to be met by June.
In 2023-24, nearly 6,200 petrol two-wheelers can be registered in the city as envisaged under the EV policy. Since the beginning of the financial year, around 3,700 fuel-run two-wheelers have already been registered in Chandigarh. As such, only around 2,500 more can be registered, which is likely to be achieved by the end of June.
Thereafter, the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) will be accepting registrations of only electric two-wheelers for the remainder of the current financial year.
Even if a conventional two-wheeler is purchased, it will not be registered until the beginning of 2024-25 financial year.
The administration had taken a similar action in the last financial year, stopping registration of non-electric two-wheelers between February 10 and March 31, 2023, evoking widespread resentment from automobile dealers and vehicle buyers.
According to the EV policy, of the total two-wheelers to be registered in the city in 2022-23, 65% were to be fuel run and 35% electric. As 65% registrations were completed by February 10, UT stopped more registrations until April 1. Automobile dealers had even approached the Punjab and Haryana high court against this, but did not get any relief.
RLA Pradhuman Singh said, “Since the targeted number of non-electric two-wheeler registrations will be achieved in a month’s time, we will stop their registration in the first week of July in pursuance of the EV Policy in the interest of greener Chandigarh.”
The EV 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.
Road tax waived on EVs
To promote EVs, the administration will not levy registration fee and road tax for five years, while owners of vehicles running on conventional fuels have to pay both.
Also an incentive ranging from ₹3,000 to ₹2 lakh is being offered for up to 42,000 vehicles of different categories, including 25,000 e-cycles, 10,000 e-bikes and 3,000 e-cars, purchased between September 20, 2022, and September 19, 2027.
Condemning UT’s decision, Nitin Mehan, secretary, Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association, Chandigarh, said the administration was forcing people to purchase electric two-wheelers that were much more expensive than petrol two-wheelers.
