GST cut: Chandigarh adds nearly 10,000 new vehicles this festive season

RLA officials attributed the recent GST cut on automobiles as the primary reason for the spurt in vehicle sales in the Union Territory.

On Dhanteras (October 18), as many as 119 cars and 307 two-wheelers were registered. Similarly, on Choti Diwali (October 19), 408 two-wheelers and 71 cars were registered.

During Navratri (September 22 to October 1), 1,630 two-wheelers and 1,560 four-wheelers were registered.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Pradhuman Singh, Director, Transport Department, said, “The GST cut has encouraged several people to buy vehicles this time.”

Last year, during the festive season, 7,862 vehicles were added to the existing fleet in Chandigarh.

Tejas Singh Oberoi, who owns the oldest Royal Enfield dealership in the region, said, “GST tax cut has been the sole reason to drive this market boom for automobile dealers. It has helped us to get more footfall and see a record number of sales. We have sold more than 1,500 bikes since the start of September, and we see this number rising. The demand has increased so much that the manufacturers aren’t able to keep up with it. For us personally, we have increased our staff to keep up with this demand, and it has helped to create more jobs in our sector. Whereas earlier, many dealerships were cutting jobs. This GST benefit has been a special Diwali gift which we will remember for years to come.”

He added, “This time we really have seen record sales. After COVID, this is the highest-ever sale we have witnessed. Our sales are up 115 per cent year on year (if we compare during festival season).”

Chandigarh added around 4.69 lakh vehicles since 2014

From 2014 to 2024, Chandigarh added approximately 4.69 lakh vehicles to its already crumbling infrastructure.

Experts said that even as there have been discussions and debates to strengthen the public transport on the lines of countries abroad, Chandigarh residents prefer personal vehicles like cars and two-wheelers.

Post-COVID, more cars than two-wheelers

Prior to 2020, more two-wheelers than four-wheelers were registered in Chandigarh. After COVID-19, however, residents began buying more four-wheelers to ensure private space.

In 2014, 29,859 two-wheelers and 21,476 cars were registered in Chandigarh, while 28,936 two-wheelers and 21,365 cars were registered in 2015. In 2016 and 2017, Chandigarh added 28,794 and 30,341 two-wheelers, respectively, while the corresponding figures for cars were 21,073 and 21,765.

All these years, the number of electric vehicles registered in the city was zero, except in 2017, when 13 electric cars and one electric two-wheeler were added.

In 2018, 2019 and 2020, as many as 29,698, 25,698 and 15,148 two-wheelers were registered in Chandigarh. As for new cars registered in these three years, the figures are 20,120, 18,975 and 15,402, respectively. However, after 2020, four-wheeler registrations overtook two-wheeler registrations.

In 2021, as many as 20,437 cars were registered, while 16,527 two-wheelers were added. In 2022, there were 21,829 new two-wheelers and 25,415 new four-wheelers. In 2023, car registrations beat two-wheeler registrations again as 26,515 cars and 20,278 two-wheelers were added.