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Tamil Nadu's Electric Car Registration Resumes: Check Out All Details Here
The autorickshaw wing of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU has raised concerns over disruptions at Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Chennai, affecting auto drivers' daily income. This follows a halt in the registration of new electric cars at RTOs across Tamil Nadu this week. Despite no official circular from the state transport department, senior officials had orally instructed all RTOs to not register e-cars, particularly high-end models.
This occurred amid strong government campaigns to promote electric vehicles in the state. Over 3,000 e-car registrations were put on hold, while electric two-wheelers and conventional petrol and diesel vehicles faced no issues.
Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa attributed the halt to a technical issue in the Union Road Transport ministry-run Parivahan portal via his official X account. Sources in the state transport department, however, hinted that the government might be reconsidering the tax waiver for e-cars, particularly those priced between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 80 lakh.
Last year, the Tamil Nadu government extended a 100% road tax exemption for all electric vehicles until 2025. The technical glitch mentioned by Rajaa also affected other motor vehicle documentation work at RTOs, including the renewal of fitness certificates for commercial vehicles such as autos, taxis, and trucks.
S Balasubramanian, state president of CITU's autorickshaw wing, noted this is the third time this month that RTOs, including those at Kolathur, Anna Nagar, and KK Nagar, have faced such disruptions. He said no explanation was given, and auto drivers had to wait the entire day, impacting their daily earnings.
Following criticism from various quarters, all RTOs were instructed to resume e-car registrations from Thursday morning and clear the backlogs as soon as possible. The resolution of these disruptions is crucial as they directly impact the livelihoods of autorickshaw drivers and the broader push towards electric vehicle adoption in the state.
DriveSpark Thinks
As the world is moving towards greener ways, it is the responsibility of the people in authority to contribute equally towards the collective goal of reducing emissions. As such, temporarily halting the registration of electric cars in a metro city such as Chennai could severely hamper the interest towards EVs.
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