Sharp dip in diesel vehicle regns in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: Registration of diesel vehicles in Chandigarh witnessed a sharp decline in the first three months of 2026, with petrol vehicles continuing to dominate new registrations, official data shows.Records of the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) indicate that of the 12,581 vehicles registered in Jan, Feb and March, only 1,386 were diesel-powered. Monthly diesel registrations remained below the 500 mark during the period, while petrol vehicle registrations — covering both light motor vehicles and two-wheelers — stood at 3,329 in Jan, 2,846 in Feb and 3,164 in March.Other categories, including electric vehicles (EVs), petrol hybrids, strong hybrids and petrol CNG vehicles, have shown steady growth. Sources in the RLA said while registrations in hybrid and petrol CNG categories are lower than EVs, these segments have recorded consistent demand, with frequent inquiries regarding registration procedures and financial incentives.The authority also recorded substantial revenue from vehicle registrations during the quarter. In Jan, the RLA earned Rs 32.5 crore, followed by Rs 24.4 crore in Feb. March saw the highest collection, with revenue touching Rs 35.6 crore.A senior UT official attributed the decline in diesel vehicle registrations to multiple factors, including restrictions on diesel vehicles beyond 10 years in the National Capital Region (NCR). "Many buyers now opt for petrol, hybrid or CNG vehicles for this reason," the official said.The official added that EVs are increasingly preferred for city and Tricity use, partly due to lower running costs and exemptions such as the waiver of road tax on electric vehicles in Chandigarh.Box: Category-wise vehicle registration from January to MarchMonth--------------------January-----------February-------------------MarchLMV Petrol------------1146-----------------900----------------------------1047Petrol Hybrid---------67--------------------46------------------------------55Petrol CNG------------73--------------------72------------------------------74Diesel-------------------469------------------431----------------------------486LMV EV----------------242-----------------150----------------------------256Strong Hybrid--------158------------------140----------------------------1642W EV------------------126-------------------70------------------------------1632W Petrol--------------2183------------------1946---------------------------2117Total Registration----4464-----------------3755---------------------------4362Box: Revenue Generated from registrationJanuary----------------------Rs 32.5crFebruary--------------------Rs 24.4crMarch------------------------Rs 35.6cr