Delhi: Not just seasonal: ‘No PUC, no fuel’ rule will be in effect permanently

The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Rekha Gupta, makes it mandatory for vehicle owners to possess a valid PUCC to refuel

The “No PUC, No Fuel” policy will continue even after all anti-pollution restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) are lifted, the Delhi government announced on Tuesday, signalling that checks on vehicular emissions will now remain a permanent feature of enforcement in the Capital.

People seen waiting in long queues to get the PUC check of their vehicles. (Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times)

The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Rekha Gupta, makes it mandatory for vehicle owners to possess a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) to refuel, irrespective of prevailing air quality levels. Officials said the policy would serve as a long-term compliance mechanism to curb vehicular emissions, which remain one of the biggest contributors to Delhi’s chronic air pollution problem.

Meanwhile, officials said recent inspections of authorised PUC centres across the city have revealed widespread irregularities. Officials said 12 centres were found shut during surprise inspections and were blacklisted, while 27 others were issued show-cause notices for violating prescribed norms. Licences of two centres were cancelled after violations were confirmed, the environment department said, adding that verification drives would now be carried out on a continuous basis to ensure transparency and accuracy in emission testing.

The drive has also led to stepped-up enforcement at fuel stations. Joint teams of the transport department and traffic police have been checking vehicles and denying fuel to those without valid certificates, triggering a sharp surge in demand at PUCC centres across the city.

Transport minister Pankaj Singh said more than 100,000 PUC certificates were generated in the first three days after the drive was launched. Officials said the enforcement campaign would continue in the coming weeks as part of a broader strategy to reduce emissions from Delhi’s growing vehicle fleet.

To further tighten checks, the cabinet has approved four new automated vehicle testing stations (ATS) for commercial vehicles. Three centres are under development at Tehkhand, Burari and Nand Nagri, while one ATS at Jhuljhuli is already operational. These facilities are expected to improve the frequency and accuracy of fitness and emission testing for heavy vehicles.

“In the absence of such testing centres, many commercial vehicles from Delhi were obtaining fitness certificates from outside the city, which also led to revenue loss,” Sirsa said, adding that the new stations would close this gap.

At the same time, the government has stepped up action against industrial sources of pollution. Official data shows that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has issued closure notices to 411 polluting industrial units, while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has sealed 400 establishments, taking total enforcement actions to over 800.

The cabinet has also amended guidelines for high-rise buildings to allow the installation of mist-based automated dust suppression systems. Such systems, already deployed at locations such as the ITO stretch, are aimed at controlling construction and road dust, another major contributor to poor air quality.

Sirsa said enforcement would now span every sector. “From factories to fuel stations, every source contributing to pollution will face stringent monitoring so that no polluter escapes accountability,” he said.