Pune’s High-End Car Market in Spotlight: Kalyani Nagar Tragedy Sparks Debate

Reported By Varad Bhatkhande

Pune, 1st June 2024: Following the Kalyani Nagar Porsche incident, attention on sports cars has intensified. The tragic incident, involving a minor allegedly under the influence, resulting in the deaths of two young IT engineers, garnered national attention due to various factors surrounding the case. As a result, the nation’s focus has shifted to luxurious sports cars, and Pune is no exception.

According to Sanjeev Bhor, in-charge of the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune boasts more than 1200 luxurious cars, including some sports cars. These high-end vehicles are equipped with powerful speed and acceleration capabilities. However, road conditions sometimes make it challenging to control their speed.

Bhor revealed that there are 1,259 luxurious cars registered in Pune, defined as cars priced at over Rs 1 crore. Despite the initial buying cost, additional expenses such as customs duty, import duty, VAT, and excise duty are levied for imported cars, contributing to the final cost. The RTO imposes a 20% road tax on oil-powered vehicles based on this cost, while electric vehicles are exempt from this tax. Nevertheless, more than 1200 individuals in Pune have registered these luxury cars, primarily construction professionals, entrepreneurs, and various companies.

Luxury cars in Pune include brands like Jaguar, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, and Bentley. These vehicles often sport premium and VIP number plates like 9999, 1111, etc. Following the Kalyani Nagar Porsche incident, the nation’s spotlight has turned to Porsche cars. Media reports indicate that 25 Porsche sports cars have been registered in Pune over the past three-and-a-half years, with the names of buyers in 2021, 2022, and 2024 not listed by the RTO.

Delayed Report from Pune RTO Delays Justice

The Pune RTO has been tasked with submitting the report on the Kalyani Nagar Porsche incident. This report, aided by Porsche officials from Germany, will help analyze the speed of the car during the accident and review rear and front camera footage to ascertain how the accident occurred. The findings of the RTO report will significantly influence the progression of the case.

Pune RTO informed Punekar News that the report is still pending formation and will be completed in the next few days, after which it will be directly submitted to the Pune police.