Nano display turns no show

The traffic enforcement staff at the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation got the rare privilege of taking the Tata Nano for a test drive after impounding one kept on display in front of the passport office in Sector 34, Chandigarh, albeit without permission.

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation impounded the car and fined the dealers for carrying out commercial activity on public land without obtaining prior permission. The car was taken to the Corporation office in Sector 17 around noon, from where the dealers, Joshi Auto Zone, got it released later in the evening.

The car, put on display around noon with banners splashed all around by the State Bank of India offering loans, initially attracted curious onlookers in large numbers. Much to their surprise, and the chagrin of the car dealers, Corporation officials soon arrived and drove it away.

“We booked the dealers as they had not taken permission for the display. They have been issued a challan of Rs 1,000,” said MC Joint Commissioner T P S Phulka.

The car dealers and SBI officials, meanwhile, continued to pass the buck to each other. “The car was parked in the parking lot. The display banners by the SBI was what invited trouble as they were without permission,” said Dipak Joshi, owner of Joshi Auto Zone.

An SBI official, however, said on the condition of anonymity that that they have put up banners everywhere after a national-level tie-up with Nano. “We are just facilitating loans for the car. If the car was for display without permission, we are not at fault,” the official added.

source: indianexpress.com