Vehicular pollution checks to get costlier in Capital

On June 13, petrol dealers’ associations threatened to shut PUC centres running on the premises, alleging they were unable to run the centres due to low costs. A PUC test costs ₹60 for two-wheeler and three-wheeler vehicles, ₹80 for four-wheeler petrol vehicles and ₹100 for four-wheeler diesel vehicles

Delhi has around 966 PUC centres across 10 zones. (HT Archive)

New Delhi

The mandatory pollution under control (PUC) tests required to keep vehicular emissions under check are likely to cost more, with the transport department currently working on a proposal to hike testing charges across all categories following demands from petrol dealers’ associations, officials aware of the development said.

On June 13, petrol dealers’ associations threatened to shut PUC centres running on the premises, alleging they were unable to run the centres due to low costs. Transport minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday called a meeting of all petroleum dealers’ associations on June 20 at the Delhi secretariat to discuss the issue.

Gahlot said: “Several representations from petrol dealers’ associations, demanding a hike in PUC rates, have been received. The cost of PUC tests has remained unchanged since 2011. The transport department is working on a proposal and a final call will be taken on it soon.”

PUCC (PUC certificate) is a mandatory document certifying that the vehicle’s tailpipe emission falls within permissible limits.A vehicle plying without a valid PUCC is liable to be prosecuted under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act and may lead to imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both. Delhi has around 966 PUC centres across 10 zones.

A PUC test costs ₹60 for two-wheeler and three-wheeler vehicles, ₹80 for four-wheeler petrol vehicles and ₹100 for four-wheeler diesel vehicles.

Bibek Banerjee, general secretary of Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, said: “These rates have remained unchanged since December 2011 and we have been demanding an increase in the rates since 2015. The minimum wage for skilled labour has increased three times in the past 13 years. It is high time that the government revises the cost of PUC testing.”

Rakesh Chaudhary, a member of the association, said running PUC centres is no longer viable due to the high input cost and low output. “The payment of salaries to staff, the cost of maintenance of machines and other expenses have gone up over the years but the government has not increased the PUC charge,” Bansal said.

A transport department official, who did not want to be named, said that the department received representations from multiple petroleum dealers and is preparing a proposal for the hike. “The proposal will be finalised soon and put to the minister for consideration and approval,” the officer said.