NEW DELHI: No PUC, No Fuel rule was rolled out across around 500 petrol pumps in Delhi on Thursday, marking an early escalation of its winter pollution crackdown. The move, aimed at curbing vehicular emissions, led to long queues at several fuel stations as enforcement teams began checking certificates and many vehicle owners rushed to renew them.
Under the new system, petrol pumps have been equipped with automated mechanisms linked to the Parivahan database to identify vehicles without valid PUC certificates. Vehicles flagged as non-compliant were being denied fuel.
Officials said the rule is being implemented for both petrol and diesel vehicles, with two-wheelers also being asked to mandatorily show valid PUC certificates before refuelling.
Commuters reported delays as enforcement staff verified documents. “Even two-wheeler riders were being asked to produce PUC certificates. This led to visible congestion at pumps,” a commuter said.
The sudden enforcement triggered a surge at authorised PUC centres at several petrol pumps, with many vehicle owners seeking immediate renewals.
A PUC certificate in Delhi typically costs between Rs 130 and Rs 140, depending on the vehicle type, and is valid for a one year period. “There has been an unusual rush since morning. People who had delayed renewals are turning up in large numbers,” an operator at a PUC centre, Mayur Vihar Phase II, said.
This is one of the many measures of the winter action the government rolled out recently to control air pollution.