The scorching heat has made the daily commute a nightmare for thousands of employees in the city, especially those riding two-wheelers. In the last two months, used-car dealers are seeing an increase in demand for small air-conditioned cars.
“The sales of cars have definitely increased … we have people coming to us saying riding a two-wheeler is not an option anymore,” said B.S. Srinivasmurthy, GM for Classic Automotives.
The preference at the moment is for small cars. “The most popular range is cars costing between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.5 lakh. Customers, who usually approach us reason that they can use it to commute in the summers and to ferry their families around in the other seasons,” Anand of Sai Auto World said.
“Earlier, the only thing to worry about on the way to office was the traffic. Using a bike made it easier. But now, from stuffy helmets to skin burns to harsh reflective roads, it has become a major headache to travel by bike. I am looking at a small car which I can use for the summer,” said Siddhartha R., who commutes to Bellandur every day.
Public transport is another sector which is reaping the benefits of a harsh summer. “I used to take my bike to office before …. but now I just find it easier to take an AC bus. The time taken is a bit more, but at least it helps me stay away from the heat,” said Kaushik Chatterjee, a software management professional, who commutes to ITPL daily.
