Vehicle owners beware! ₹10K fine for not carrying valid pollution certificate
A public notice issued by the Delhi transport department on Sunday stated that if vehicle owners are caught without a valid PUC certificate then they may face imprisonment up to six months or fine up to ₹10,000 or both.
Delhi government on Sunday asked vehicle owners to carry valid pollution under control (PUC) certificates to avoid punitive actions which also include suspension of driving licence for three months.
A public notice issued by the Delhi transport department on Sunday stated that if vehicle owners are caught without a valid PUC certificate then they may face imprisonment up to six months or fine up to ₹10,000 or both. The vehicle owners will also be disqualified from holding their driving licence for three months.
“The Transport department, Government of NCT of Delhi, in its ongoing efforts to control pollution and improve air quality in Delhi, requests all motor vehicle owners in Delhi to ply their vehicles only with valid pollution under control certificate,” the notice said.
“All registered vehicle owners are requested to get their vehicles checked from the pollution checking centres authorised by the Transport department to avoid any penalty/ imprisonment/ suspension of driving licence,” the notification further said.
Vehicles are tested from time to time for their emission standards for various pollutants like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide after which they are given PUC certificates. Delhi has over 900 authorised pollution checking centres which are set up across various petrol pumps and workshops in the city for the convenience of motorists. These centres issue UC certificates to vehicles complying with prescribed pollution norms after conducting pollution checks.
The fee for pollution checking in case of petrol and CNG driven two and three wheelers is ₹60. For four-wheeled vehicles it is ₹80. The fee for pollution checking certificate of diesel vehicles is ₹100.
According to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, all motor vehicles (including those conforming to BS-I/ BS-II/ BS-III/BS-IV as well as vehicles plying on CNG/LPG) is required to carry a valid PUC Certificate after the expiry of period of one year from the date of its first registration. The validity of four-wheeled BS-IV compliant vehicles is one year and for other vehicles it is three months.
The order comes as the winter season begins and as pollution levels are expected to spike.