Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 5: In spite of the impact of deadly coronavirus infection, Dakshina Kannada district has witnessed a significant increase in the sale of motor vehicles. The trend, witnessed last year, has got further fillip this time.

Specifically after the Covid second wave i e., June this year, there has been an impressive increase in the number of vehicle buyers. As per information obtained from the regional transport office Mangaluru, 10,552 two-wheelers and 3,557 cars have been registered after June till now. Between June 2019 and May 2020, 22,659 two wheelers and 6,574 cars had been registered. Till May 2021 thereafter, a nominal increase witnessed, with 25,702 two wheelers and 7,957 cars having been registered. Thereafter, the sales picked up further.

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It is increasingly becoming evident that the people are shying away from public transport. The owners and staff of buses whose spirits have dampened, rue the fact that other than during the rush hours, passengers have not been patronising their services. As the buses were off the roads for a few months, the middle class and workers had to buy two-wheelers. As petrol prices rose, many moved towards owning EV vehicles, reasons regional transport officer here, R M Varnekar.

In Puttur regional transport office, 19,494 vehicles were registered from January 1, 2020 to December that year. From January 1, 2021 to November 16, 2021, 21,792 vehicles were registered. In Bantwal RTO office too, the registration of vehicles went up from 18,602 from January 1, 2020 to December 30, 2020. From January 1, 2021 to November 16, 2021, 19,697 vehicles were registered.

On the contrary there has been a marginal decrease in the registration of vehicles in Udupi regional transport office. As against 23,213 vehicles registered for the year 2020, 21,001 vehicles were registered till October 2021.