Ranchi – The automobile market in Ranchi remained unusually quiet on Vishwakarma Puja, a day that typically sees heavy rush at showrooms for car and bike deliveries. The festive buzz of previous years was absent, with only a handful of customers completing purchases.
While Dhanteras continues to be the traditional day for gold and brass shopping, many people now prefer to buy new vehicles during this festive season. Vishwakarma Puja, too, has become a popular occasion for families to welcome new cars. But this year, customers are cautious, awaiting the rollout of GST 2, which they expect will bring price relief.
At Maruti’s Firing Range showroom, Akash Chandra Sinha said he and his wife came only to inspect cars. “Once GST 2 is implemented, prices should ease. It’s better to wait a little,” he said. The outlet managed to deliver only 11 vehicles till evening. At Tata Motors showroom in Harihar Singh Mor, employees reported that bookings were happening but most buyers wanted to finalize their purchase only after GST 2. Two-wheeler showrooms of major brands also experienced the same slowdown, with only a few token advance payments being made.
The impact of the subdued auto sales was even felt at temples, where priests who normally perform pujas for new vehicles received fewer offerings this year. Compared to last year’s hustle, both showrooms and temples felt the pinch of the waiting game over GST 2.