50k vehicles in Delhi undergo pollution test daily, over 4 lakh certificates issued since Sept 1

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Vehicle owners in the national capital are making beelines at pollution under check (PUC) certification centres since implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles Act on September 1, with over four lakh such certificates been issued since the beginning of the month.

According to an official, each day on an average 50,000 vehicles undergo the test for a certificate of meeting emission and pollution control norms now, against 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles visiting the test centres before the amended law, which hiked the penalty, came into force.

On Tuesday, long queues were seen outside the PUC certification centres in many parts of the city even though it was a holiday due to Muharram.

Under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, the penalty for not having PUC certificate is Rs 10,000. Earlier, the fine was Rs 1,000 for first violation and Rs 2,000 for subsequent defaults.

"PUC compliance was hardly around 20 per cent before the amended Motor Vehicles Act came into force on September 1. Normally, 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles visited 940 odd test centres across the city before the fine was increased to Rs 10,000," a Delhi Transport department official said.

Now, PUC tests run over 50,000 vehicles daily. It was highest on September 7 when 55,357 vehicles underwent the test, he said, adding the number of vehicles turning up for PUC checks is over 50,000 since September 6.

The pollution under check test involves checking whether emission of smoke, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and other air pollutants from a vehicle meets the emission and pollution control norms.

"The rush of vehicles has posed problems like the transport department's server crashing and slowing down on several occasions. Also, there are complaints of long queues at the PUC centres. We are trying to set up with more such centres," the officer said.

In view of the massive rush, the Delhi government has directed the test centres to remain open till 10 pm.

Other measures, like enhancing faster PUC tests and using test centres of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) are also being taken to handle the spike in number of vehicles, the official said.

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