With autorickshaw permits freely available, the sale of auto-rickshaws during the auspicious period from Dussehra to Dhanteras for the fiscal 2024-25 has reported a 30 percent dip. The drop in sales comes even as app-based platforms continue to proliferate and generate profit. Autorickshaw unions attribute this decline to lower income from the rickshaw trade. Once known as an autorickshaw hub and home to major manufacturer Bajaj, Pune’s auto drivers are now raising concerns about the declining market. According to data available with the Regional Transport Office, autorickshaw registrations, which were over 1,000 last year, have dropped to around 700 this festive season. This period is typically a time of high vehicle purchases among the lower middle class, who are usually enthusiastic about investing in new vehicles. Auto drivers and unions are attributing this decline to the growth of alternative transportation and app-based companies offering lower rates than autorickshaws. Keshav Kshirsagar, president of Baghtoy Rickshaw Union, said the lack of profit and high competition are discouraging new entrants into the autorickshaw business. “People understand the market …