Auto Market Sees Slump on Vishwakarma Puja, Buyers Await GST 2 Relief

Ranchi – On the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja, the city’s automobile market wore a deserted look. Unlike previous years when car and two-wheeler showrooms were bustling with customers and many vehicles could not even be delivered on the same day, this year the festive cheer was clearly missing.

Traditionally, people wait for Dhanteras to buy new items, particularly gold and brass utensils. However, in recent years, Dhanteras has also become an auspicious day for purchasing vehicles. Some families, too, have started bringing home new cars during Vishwakarma Puja.

This year, however, customers appear to be holding back. A survey by Reporter Post revealed that buyers are eagerly waiting for GST 2, hoping for tax concessions on vehicles. At the Maruti showroom near Firing Range, local resident Akash Chandra Sinha said he came only to look at cars but will wait for prices to drop once GST 2 comes into effect. His wife, Arpana Sinha, echoed the same view, saying a little patience will pay off. By late evening, the showroom delivered only 11 vehicles.

At Tata Motors showroom in Harihar Singh Mor, staff said bookings are happening, but buyers prefer to wait for GST 2 before making final payments. Two-wheeler showrooms of leading brands in the area also reported the same trend. Some customers paid token amounts of ?5,000 for bookings, but the numbers were not significant.

Interestingly, the muted auto sales also affected temple priests, who usually earn more dakshina during vehicle delivery ceremonies. With fewer cars delivered this year, their earnings too saw a dip compared to last year.