The domestic automobile market will bounce back to normal level once the festive season begins, they added. "Automobile business is in a very critical stage. Though sale is gradually picking up, it will take another three months for the business to return to normalcy," Anjan Shrestha, vice president of Nepal Automobile Dealers (NADA) -- the apex body of domestic automobile dealers, said. "Our business came to a grinding halt in the first two weeks after the earthquake. It is improving gradually."Shrestha said the Dashain-Tihar festive season will give automobile business a shot in the arm.
Officials of NADA, however, said automobile business has not been affected in districts untouched by the earthquake. "Sale of four-wheelers has suffered the most in quake hit places including Kathmandu valley," added Shrestha.
He also said people's confidence is increasing and that the business environment was getting normal. "The scenario suggests that economic activities will return to normalcy very soon," added Shrestha.
An official of CG MotoCorp -- the authorized distributor of Maruti Suzuki vehicles for Nepal -- agreed with Shrestha. "Our business in quake-affected areas, including Kathmandu Valley, has fallen by almost 75 percent," the official said, adding that many people have postponed or cancelled their plan to buy four-wheelers. "It will take some time for the market to return to normal situation."
Automobile dealers also said their business has been affected as the earthquake damaged many automobile showrooms, service centers and also some new vehicles parked at godowns.
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