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Ola Electric has recently been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Adding to the list, the dealerships of the brand in Maharashtra are under scrutiny by the government because of malpractices regarding trade certificates. Specifically, if a store or service centre of the Bengaluru-based EV maker is operational under an RTO without a trade certificate, the authorities are directed to take action to close it.
NDTV Profit quotes Maharashtra's joint transport commissioner addressing Ola Electric's issue of trade certificate, saying, "action should be taken to close that centre, and original trade certificate should be cancelled." It is to be noted that the statement has been taken from an email dated 16 April 2025. The RTOs had one day to act and report the closures.
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The report also shared quotes of an Ola Electric representative saying, "Your claims regarding our stores in Maharashtra are speculative, incorrect, and misplaced." They further added, "We continue to work closely with the concerned authorities in Maharashtra to address any specific queries or concerns."
Ola Electric's issues in Maharashtra began in early March when the RTOs in Mumbai and Pune conducted inspections of stores for trade certificates. Many of these "experience centres" were either operating without a certificate or sharing one among them.
On 31 March, the Maharashtra transport department issued a notice to the electric two-wheeler company asking for an explanation regarding the absence of this important document. In response, the company stated that it is currently in the process of applying for trade certificates for all its locations in the state.
Maharashtra's RTOs have inspected 146 Ola Electric stores in the region. Of these, 121 were identified as operating without a trade certificate, and 75 of them have been closed down so far. Since the inspections began last month, a total of 192 scooters have been confiscated.
NDTV Profit quotes Maharashtra's joint transport commissioner addressing Ola Electric's issue of trade certificate, saying, "action should be taken to close that centre, and original trade certificate should be cancelled." It is to be noted that the statement has been taken from an email dated 16 April 2025. The RTOs had one day to act and report the closures.
Also Read: 2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Launch Confirmed; To Get Big Updates
The report also shared quotes of an Ola Electric representative saying, "Your claims regarding our stores in Maharashtra are speculative, incorrect, and misplaced." They further added, "We continue to work closely with the concerned authorities in Maharashtra to address any specific queries or concerns."
Ola Electric's issues in Maharashtra began in early March when the RTOs in Mumbai and Pune conducted inspections of stores for trade certificates. Many of these "experience centres" were either operating without a certificate or sharing one among them.
On 31 March, the Maharashtra transport department issued a notice to the electric two-wheeler company asking for an explanation regarding the absence of this important document. In response, the company stated that it is currently in the process of applying for trade certificates for all its locations in the state.
Maharashtra's RTOs have inspected 146 Ola Electric stores in the region. Of these, 121 were identified as operating without a trade certificate, and 75 of them have been closed down so far. Since the inspections began last month, a total of 192 scooters have been confiscated.
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