Delhi Pollution: Delhi Govt To Check Pollution Under Control Certificates At Petrol Pumps

A team of 4 members has been deployed at each petrol pump. This is the first time that a PUC certificate will be checked at a petrol pump.

New Delhi: Smoke from vehicles is one of the primary causes of air pollution in the national capital. Delhi transport department has launched a drive to curb air pollution caused by vehicles. Under this campaign, if you arrive at fuel stations in Delhi to fill petrol or diesel and do not have a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC), you will have to pay a challan of Rs. 10,000.

For this drive, Delhi Government's transport department has prepared 500 enforcement teams that will be deployed at fuel stations. A team of 4 members has been deployed at each petrol pump. This is the first time that a PUC certificate will be checked at a petrol pump. Under this campaign, all car variants like petrol, diesel, and CNG are being tested.

If the validity of a vehicle's pollution certificate expires, then all its information is noted in a diary. According to information received from the transport department, the enforcement team checked 62,176 vehicles from October 7 to October 17 and 4,066 vehicles were fined for driving without PUC certificates.  Also, challans were issued to 39 vehicles that were causing air pollution.

Transport Department Deputy Commissioner Anuj Bharti informed that the level of pollution increases considerably during the winter season, thus this drive has been introduced to reduce vehicular pollution. The details are noted of drivers who do not have a valid PUC certificate for their vehicles.

Drivers are advised to make PUCC at the pollution check centre at the petrol pump itself. The car number is then checked in the database. If the vehicle does not have a PUCC, an e-challan of Rs. 10,000 will be sent home. Non-payment of challans can lead to 6 months imprisonment and confiscation of drivers' licence for 3 months.

According to data released by the Delhi Transport Department, from August 10 to September 1, 2021, only 10,000 PUCCs were being issued every day. From September 2 to September 18, the number of PUC certificates issued rose to an average of 15,000 per day. From September 19 to October 6, 20,000 drivers were been issued PUC certificates daily.  

Since October 7, the figures of the PUC certificate issued increased manifold. From October 7 to 10, the average number of drivers who were issued PUC certificates daily was 38,000. On average, 40,000 Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates have been issued daily from October 11 to October 17.