Automobile sales in Delhi were witnessing a slump even before the pandemic battered the economy. (Representational)

After showing signs of recovery in June and July, vehicle registrations, a marker of sales, once again dipped in August in Delhi, according to car and bike registration data maintained by the city’s Transport Department.

Records show that in August, a total of 23,316 vehicles — 16,713 two-wheelers and 6,603 four-wheelers — were registered in Delhi. Sales had plummeted to 8,861 vehicles in May, before gradually picking up over the next two months.

Automobile sales in Delhi were witnessing a slump even before the pandemic battered the economy. The first eight months of 2019 saw a decline in vehicle registrations for the first time since 2014, with August witnessing the sharpest drop since 1997-98.

However, the onset of the pandemic and enforcement of the lockdown to curb its spread brought the economy to its knees, with the April-June GDP shrinking by a record 23.9%. As a result, this year’s figures are worse than 2019.

This year in April, May, June, July and August, 2,856, 8,861, 31,887, 37,490, and 23,316 vehicles were registered in Delhi. Out of the total, 76,105 were two-wheelers and 27,305 four-wheelers.

A look at the registration figures of the corresponding months in 2019 also show the slump setting in, much before the onset of Covid-19. In April, May, June, July and August last year, 55,125, 53,071, 46,632, 48,682 and 43,951 vehicles were respectively registered in Delhi. Of the total, 1.76 lakh were two-wheelers and 70,597 four-wheelers.

Going further back makes the severity of the downturn clearer as barring August, 2014, when 46,249 vehicles were registered, the figures have always remained above 50,000. For example, in August 2018, approximately 62,000 vehicles were registered, while the corresponding period in 2016 saw 56,000 registrations and 2015 saw 54,000.

Two-wheelers form the bulk — over 70% — of the city’s vehicular fleet.