Chandigarh set to hit fuel 2-wheeler cap, dealers in a fix, want limit to go

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, October 24

Dealers of non-electric two-wheelers and potential buyers are again facing an uncertain situation with the recently extended quota of 1,609 units for the registration of such vehicles in the city set to be reached soon.

Of this extended quota, 1,229 two-wheelers have already been registered in the past six days, leaving room for the sale of just about 380 more units.

This impending exhaustion of the quota has raised concerns among two-wheeler dealers, who expect to sell the remaining 380 units in a matter of days, potentially leading to significant losses for the year. 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 can surge to around 4,000 per month.

The UT Administration had revised its electric vehicle (EV) policy on October 19, reducing the registration target for such two-wheelers to 15 per cent for the financial year 2023-24, down from the previous 25 per cent. This means that an 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.

An official of the Transport Department said with 1,229 fuel two-wheelers already registered, the quota was set to be exhausted in a few days. Once this limit was reached, the registration portal would be closed, he said.

Ram Kumar Garg, finance secretary of the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association, Chandigarh, expressed concern over the potential impact on customers and dealers if the portal was shut in a few days, particularly for those who had planned to purchase two-wheelers during Diwali. Garg urged the UT Administrator to consider removing the cap permanently to provide relief to all stakeholders.

The UT Administration’s commitment to promoting electric vehicles as seen through its EV policy revisions has been met with criticism due to lack of necessary infrastructure such as charging stations. This poses a challenge for EV owners in the city, with many having to rely on home electricity for their daily commutes due to the absence of functional charging stations at public places.

Long way to go for EV adoption

• Automobile dealers in the city collectively sell nearly 20,000 non-electric two-wheelers annually, around 1,600 each month
• During festive season, this number surges to around 4,000 per month
• On October 19, the UT Admn revised its EV policy, reducing registration target for such two-wheelers to 15% from 25% for 2023-24
• This meant an additional 1,609 non-electric two-wheelers could be registered till March 31 next year