Business
Pune Dhanteras Vehicle Registrations Fall 18% as EVs Surge 63%
Pune's RTO logged fewer regular vehicle registrations before Dhanteras, but electric vehicles posted a sharp jump, giving the festive season a split-screen look.
Desh Flash desk7 November 2026, 7:15 pm IST2 minUpdated 7 November 2026, 7:15 pm IST
Pune's festive showroom rush came in softer this year. The city's Regional Transport Office registered 13,889 regular vehicles in the 10 days leading up to Dhanteras, down nearly 18% from 16,582 a year earlier. Electric vehicles moved the other way, rising 63% to 2,420 from 1,490.
The weakness follows a soft Navaratra. Regular registrations then fell to 10,534 from 14,168, a drop of roughly 26%, while EV registrations edged up to 1,638 from 1,566. Two festive windows in a row pointing the same direction suggest buyers are being more cautious than usual.
Why? Nobody offers a single answer. An RTO official said the reasons are unclear and noted that registrations could still climb as Dhanteras bookings are delivered and Padwa nears, both traditionally auspicious days for buying vehicles. The official also described overall sales as healthy, with EVs a key growth driver.
Dealers point to the wider mood. Sachin Mahajan, Maharashtra chairperson of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations, linked the slowdown to drought concerns, saying households in an agrarian-leaning state are holding back discretionary spending. He added that Dasara and Diwali fell in different months this year, unlike last year, which may change how the comparison looks. A two-wheeler dealer cited higher steel and aluminium prices and geopolitical uncertainty pushing up vehicle prices.
Buyers echoed the budget squeeze. A Magarpatta-based private-sector professional said job uncertainty made a car loan feel risky and that the purchase would wait until the end of the financial year. Vimannagar resident Ashutosh Ganjal said he postponed a two-wheeler for his daughter, citing layoffs and salary cuts, and suggested she use the Pune Metro for college.
The bright spot is electric. Mahajan said EV sales have risen across Maharashtra thanks to better charging infrastructure, which fits the Pune numbers. For the market watcher, the takeaway is a festive season where the mix is shifting even as overall volumes lag: a possible sign that cost-conscious buyers are still willing to spend when the product and infrastructure make sense.
Separately, the Pune RTO took action against 21 private buses found overcharging passengers between September and November 1, recovering fines of Rs 32.86 lakh for various violations. Source reporting: Times of India.
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