MONDAY was a busy day for local car dealers and buyers. After the city government announced a policy that would restrict car purchases by requiring prospective buyers to acquire new license plates through lotteries or auctions, many buyers rushed to dealerships hoping to purchase a car before 6 p.m. — the time the policy took effect.

    Under the new policy, Shenzhen will cap the number of new cars that can be sold in the city at 100,000 a year, including 20,000 electric vehicles.

    Car dealerships across the city were ordered to stop selling cars after 6 p.m. Monday.

    According to the new rules, car dealers in the city have to share the sales of 100,000 cars per year, which will jeopardize the business for sellers, forcing many dealerships to close and many dealers to find new jobs.

    The city saw its number of registered vehicles expand to 3.14 million as of Dec. 20. The city saw a 16-percent average annual increase in registered vehicles over the past five years, and in 2014 alone 550,000 vehicles were registered, a 20.9-percent increase from 2013.

    Here are a few last-minute photos, showcasing the buying frenzy Dec. 29.

    (SD-Agencies)