Bajaj Auto exports to Sri Lanka down this year, expects to normalise in March
Monday, 9 March 2015 00:13
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Mumbai: India’s Pune-based Bajaj Automobile Company said its exports to Sri Lanka was down this year and described it as an acute situation attributed to the change in government in the country.
In a stock market disclosure, the Indian automaker said the in Sri Lanka, there is a gap of 30,000 motorcycles because the government changed and the new government is taking some time to process the business that was promised by the previous government.
The previous government in December placed an order with Bajaj for 125,000 Discover-125M motorcycles through its distributor in Sri Lanka David Peiris Motor Company Ltd.
“We are given to believe now by our distributors, that from this month those orders should be coming. All that has happened in February is that couple of these very big markets we have had delays due to local situation,” Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said in an interview with CNBC-TV18.
“On Sri Lanka we were fine as far as three wheelers are concerned. In fact there is a slight uptick in three wheeler volumes out of Sri Lanka,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka has refused the proposed launch of its Bajaj’s first quadricycle RE60 in Sri Lanka due to safety concerns.
The Commissioner-General of Motor Traffic, S.H. Harishchandra told Business Times that the “Bajaj Auto RE60 is worse than a three-wheeler as it’s a very light vehicle and not suitable for main roads and expressways.”
According to the Commissioner-General RE60 cannot be registered as a four-wheel car under the Sri Lanka Motor Traffic regulations. His department had refused the entry of the quadricycles, mainly due to passenger safety issues.
The RE60 is Bajaj’s proposed replacement for three-wheelers which promises the comfort and safety of a fourth wheel, in addition to seat belts and a hard top.
Sri Lanka is the biggest passenger three-wheeler market for Bajaj Auto outside India.
