Maharashtra Navratri 2026: Vehicle Registrations Dip 2% To 1.12 Lakh Amid Drought Concerns; Pune Tops State, Mumbai Records 13,160

Mumbai: Maharashtra registered 1,12,814 vehicles during the 10-day Navratri festival this year, nearly 2% fewer than last year, with officials attributing the decline to poor rainfall, drought conditions and uncertainty in the global financial situation. Despite the dip, two-wheelers and private cars continued to account for the bulk of new registrations, while Pune topped the state with 12,752 vehicles registered between October 11 and 20.

According to the state transport department, the registrations included 77,449 private two-wheelers, excluding mopeds, and 25,536 private cars. The figures cover 60 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Maharashtra. The state had recorded 1,15,125 vehicle registrations during Navratri last year, indicating a decline of around 2% this festive season.

The slowdown comes during a period when vehicle dealers traditionally expect a rise in demand. Many buyers book cars and two-wheelers in advance and opt for delivery around Dussehra, which is considered an auspicious occasion for purchasing vehicles and other assets.

Pune leads, Mumbai crosses 13,000 registrations

Pune recorded the highest number of vehicle registrations during the festival, followed by Pimpri-Chinchwad, which registered 8,887 vehicles. Thane recorded 4,474 registrations, while Nashik accounted for 4,024.

Mumbai's four RTOs together registered 13,160 vehicles during the period. Mumbai Central led the city with 3,856 registrations, followed by Wadala with 3,586, Borivali with 3,206 and Andheri with 2,512.

The figures show that vehicle purchases remained significant in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, even as the state witnessed an overall decline. Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad together accounted for 21,639 registrations, underlining the strong contribution of the Pune region to festive vehicle demand.

Rural distress may have affected demand

A senior official of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department said the decline could be linked to a combination of rural and urban economic factors. Poor rainfall and drought conditions may have discouraged people in rural areas from purchasing new vehicles, while uncertainty in global financial conditions could have affected buying decisions in urban centres.

The department's figures indicate that the festive period continued to generate substantial demand, but the year-on-year fall suggests that auspicious buying dates alone may not be enough to sustain growth when household finances and economic confidence are under pressure.

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