The Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) has halted the registration of non-electric two-wheelers as it has reached the registration cap of 12,076 set under the EV Policy 2022. This decision, which comes just a week before the festival season, has drawn criticism from automobile dealers and potential buyers.
Balwinder Singh Oberoi, who has been running a motorcycle agency for 67 years, expressed concern about the significant job losses resulting from this decision.
He mentioned that around 3,000 to 4,000 people could be unemployed, and all 12 major two-wheeler vehicle agencies in the city might have to close down. This decision came without prior notice, and dealers had made substantial investments in anticipation of the festival season.
The festival season, typically from October to December, accounts for 30% to 40% of scooter and car sales. Due to the registration stoppage, most non-electric inventory is expected to remain unsold.
In February, registration was temporarily halted, and it was almost stopped in July before the cap was expanded. The decision has been made without the involvement of the public or dealers in the decision-making process, according to Ram Kumar Garg, the finance secretary of the Federation of Automobile Dealers of Chandigarh.
A UT official stated that they had previously relaxed the cap norms in response to dealer requests and assessments. They plan to assess the EV Policy as one year of its implementation has passed.
