A new notice from the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) of Chandigarh has put many motor vehicle consumers in a quandary. As per the notice, the ban on registration of two-wheelers with internal combustion engines is in force till the end of the current financial year. Registration of petrol two-wheelers in the city has been stopped since February 10. According to industry sources, people who have bought two-wheelers are no longer able to get and use their High-Security Number Plate (HSRP) and physical RC copy. As a dealer their new vehicle is not able to complete the registration process on the vehicle portal.
A dealer on the condition of anonymity said, “Such a rule is arbitrary and takes the choice out of the hands of the customer. People who have already bought or are about to buy their two-wheeler are now stuck. Vehicles are a source of livelihood for many of those people.
“The policy has been drafted without considering practical constraints, if production of electric two-wheelers is not 35 per cent of total two-wheelers then how can the administration mandate that sales should be 35 per cent.”
It may be noted that there are only a handful of public charging stations in the city, and as per reports most of them are in non-functional condition.
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“EV products cost almost double. I can’t afford it. Besides, how will I travel from Chandigarh to Ludhiana if there are no charging points? Even if there are charging points, it will take hours to charge, That’s why it’s not.” Absolutely possible, said one irate customer.
The country’s best-selling motorcycle Hero Splendor and best-selling scooter Honda Activa cost around Rs 80,000, while electric scooters from popular brands like Ola and Ather cost more than Rs 1 lakh. Thus, imposing an additional upfront burden on the customers, who are mostly from the middle and lower-income groups.
Another industry source said, “There is a clear shift towards EVs and the entire ecosystem of the government and industry is working in this direction.” However, by imposing such a rule, local officials are stifling the free market, which will have an impact on the entire local economy.”
Under the EV policy launched in September 2022, the UT administration will stop registration of non-electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers from the financial year 2024-25 (April 2024). The UT stopped registration of non-electric two-wheelers from February 10 for this fiscal, after achieving the 65 per cent level of registration of petrol-powered two-wheelers last year.
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The Federation of Automotive Dealers Association (FADA) has moved the High Court seeking relief from the policy. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha issued notice to the UT administration on Thursday.
With inputs from PTI