At the Bengal State Room, ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata, the Hon’ble Transport Minister of West Bengal and the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the highest body representing India’s car retail sector, successfully concluded a high-impact Fire-Side Chat.

Members of the FADA Central Team, senior industry stakeholders, and more than 150 car dealer principals from throughout West Bengal attended the event. A shared commitment to enhancing industry-government cooperation and facilitating a more transparent, effective, and growth-oriented automotive retail ecosystem resulted from the interaction, which provided a crucial forum for productive discussion between the dealer fraternity and the state government.

West Bengal’s Hon’ble Minister of Transport, Shri Arjun Singh, recognized the important role that the car dealer community plays in the state’s economy and job creation. The Minister emphasized plans to modernize the transportation ecosystem through increased adoption of digital platforms, online services, and technology-led governance while reiterating the government’s commitment to road safety, ease of vehicle registration, and sustainable mobility.

Shri Arjun Singh, Hon’ble Minister of Transport, Government of West Bengal said, “Building an open, technologically advanced, and citizen-focused transportation ecosystem is our government’s top priority. We are attempting to remove inefficiencies and guarantee more accountability throughout the system through digitalization, online service delivery, and automation. We are dedicated to enforcing CMVR regulations to the fullest extent possible and taking firm action against unlawful Multi-Brand Outlet (MBO) operations throughout West Bengal. We look forward to collaborating closely with the dealer community to develop a more effective, accessible, and future-ready transportation environment for the people of West Bengal. Industry organizations like FADA are essential to this journey”.

The Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), the growth of illicit Multi-Brand Outlet (MBO) vehicle trade throughout the state, the introduction of pre-owned vehicle registration, and the requirement for a fully online five-year trade certificate framework were among the major industry issues brought up by FADA during the discussion.

FADA expressed confidence that the proposed measures would improve regulatory compliance, encourage fair business practices, and make it easier for authorized car dealers throughout West Bengal to conduct business. The organization welcomed the Minister’s assurances.

Both FADA and the Transport Department reiterated their commitment to ongoing communication and cooperation in order to advance road safety, digital governance, regulatory compliance, and the sustainable expansion of the state’s automotive retail industry as the event came to a successful conclusion.

Priyanka Dutta