No deliveries of new vehicles on Dussehra

Nagpur: Dussehra is considered an auspicious time to make new purchases, especially vehicles. So much so that automobile showrooms and even the RTO used to remain open on this day. However, people who were expecting delivery of vehicles on Dussehra are in for a disappointment this year as the three RTO offices in Nagpur — city, east and rural — will be closed for three consecutive days from September 30 on account of Dussehra, Sunday and Gandhi Jayanti.

Dealers says they are helpless and will try to convince customers to take delivery on or after October 3.

Regional transport officer Sharad Jichkar on Wednesday issued a circular in this regard.

During festival season — from Dussehra to Diwali — the city witnesses a spurt in sale of motor vehicles. But, the Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) will not be able to visit automobile showrooms for three days at a stretch leading to delay in allotting registration numbers to new vehicles.

On an average, both city and east offices registers around 500 new vehicles on any given day. But during festival season, the sale of vehicles shoot up, said dealers. Last year, the city, east and rural offices witnessed registration of around 3,000 vehicles during Dussehra. Even RTO had to keep its office open during Dussehra and even in Diwali so that people get delivery of vehicles on these auspicious days, admitted a senior official in RTO.

Dealers told TOI that already customers have started booking of vehicles to be delivered on Dussehra day. "Now, with this diktat we will not be able to deliver vehicles on these three days, we have to convince them," said one of the dealers Nikhil Kusumgar.

However, the official said that this should not affect the registration of new vehicles. This year, however, with implementation of the online vehicle registration service which enables buyers and dealers to register vehicles even on a holiday too, the officer explained. "But we can't deliver the vehicle unless it is being examined by the motor vehicle inspector," said another dealer requesting anonymity.

Since the offices will remain close, clearing and renewal of licences and issuing of smart cards will be badly hit. Moreover, the closure of RTO will also lead to a revenue loss to the state exchequer.

BOX

4 dealers get RTO notice

The office of city RTO has issued show cause notices to four automobile dealers in the city for delaying payments for registration of new vehicles.

As a result of late payments by dealers like Tajshree Honda, Sudarshan Motors, Automotive and Paragon Traders, hundreds of new vehicle owners are in a fix over the delay in issuance of permanent registration numbers for new vehicles by the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Nagpur.