PUNE: Vehicle ownership transfer in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad took a big leap in 2021 compared to 2020.
Officials of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), however, admitted they were not certain whether or not more people sold their vehicles last year due to financial stress owing to the pandemic or if they bought new ones.
A smaller number of new vehicle registrations last year indicated that people sold their vehicles more compared to buying new ones, said one of the officials.
"It's tough to ascertain if people just sold their old vehicles or in turn bought new ones. The RTO offices were shut for months in 2020 because of the pandemic. After the (Centre's) vehicle-scrapping policy was announced, there could have been cases where people sold their old vehicles that were nearing the 15-year-age limit. The reasons could be anything," Pune's deputy regional transport officer Sanjiv Bhor told TOI. Another RTO official said distress-selling because of financial woes could be one of the reasons.
"If one looks at vehicle registrations in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad in 2021 compared to 2020, the difference is not striking. In Pune, 1,70,228 vehicles were registered in 2021, which was 1,50,761 in 2020 and 2,43,415 in 2019. In Pimpri Chinchwad, a total of 1,08,873 vehicles were registered in 2021; 1,03,032 in 2020, and 1,48,197 in 2019. If people selling their old vehicles were buying new ones, the registrations last year would have been higher. It indicates many sold their vehicles," the official said.
Transfer of ownership under both the RTOs in 2019 and 2018 were higher (see graphics). "Even vehicle registrations in 2019 and 2018 (pre-pandemic) was much higher than that in 2021 under both the RTO offices," the official said.
Kamlesh Mankar, a dealer of used cars with a showroom in Fatimanagar, said, "After the first lockdown, used vehicle sale and purchase have picked up. The severity of the second wave last year resulted in many changing their plans. Until October 2021, the number of car sellers was around 40% more than the buyers."
