SIAM postpones 2022 Indian Auto Expo due to COVID
The event was scheduled to be held between February 2-9, 2022. New dates to be finalised later this year.
Auto Expo – The Motor Show 2022 has been postponed due to the COVID-19 situation and apprehensions of a possible third wave, informed the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) on Monday. The upcoming edition of India’s leading automobile show was scheduled to take place between February 2 and 9 next year at Greater Noida.
“The magnitude of the risk of spread of infection is extremely high in a business-to-consumer (B2C) show like the Auto Expo which is visited by large crowds and maintaining social distancing would be difficult. It has therefore been decided to postpone the Auto Expo – The Motor Show for now,” said Rajesh Menon, Director General of event’s organising body, SIAM, in a statement.
The biennial automotive show which is generally held in February of every alternate year, is a platform for domestic carmakers like Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors, as well as, global companies such as Hyundai Motor Co and Daimler to showcase their new products, prototypes and technologies. The event was last held in February 2020 in Greater Noida and attracted footfalls of over 6 lakh people during the week-long affair.
Given the recent massacre and chaos in India during the second wave of COVID, and also keeping the warning for a potential third wave in mind, the organising committee has taken the decision to postpone the event.
“Safety of exhibitors, visitors and all stakeholders involved and present at the Expo is the topmost priority for SIAM. It is in this context that the Indian Automobile Industry and SIAM recognizes the inherent risks in organizing the Auto Expo due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic and the apprehensions of a possible third wave,” Menon said in the statement issued to the press.
The SIAM director also feels as it takes around a year to prepare for an event of such a kind and scale, it may not be prudent to organize the event as per its planned schedules.
Rajesh Menon further informed that the exact date for the next edition of ‘Auto Expo – The Motor Show’ would be finalised later this year keeping in view the COVID-19 situation and in alignment with the OICA Calendar of global auto shows.
Enthusiasts took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the putback. One of the tweets read, “This is another big blow from coronavirus on the automotive segment and the event management industry in India.”
The last edition of the Auto Expo had witnessed around 70 product unveils and launches, with a total of 352 product displays from 108 exhibitors.
