One nation, one PUC: Govt makes pollution certificate uniform across India

The Centre has approved use of same PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate for all vehicles across the country. In a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the government has done away with the need to get fresh PUC at different location in the country for the same vehicle, in case the existing one has not expired.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also said that the PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate will also be linked to the PUC database with the National Register.

From now on, a QR code shall be printed on the PUC form and will have details of the vehicle, owner and the status of the emission. The new PUC will also have vehicle owner's mobile number, name and address, engine number and chassis number. This will help any one to get details about a particular vehicle from the database.

"The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification dated 14th June, 2021, for a common format of the PUC Certificate to be issued across the country, under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989," the official statement from the ministry said. "The owner's mobile number has been made mandatory, on which an SMS alert will be sent for validation and fee," it said.

MoRT&H has issued a notification for a common format of the PUC (Pollution Under Control) Certificate to be issued across the country, under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989.
This IT-enabled move would help in better control over polluting vehicles. pic.twitter.com/58xfZ6EebU

— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) June 17, 2021

Along with the new changes in PUC certificate rules, the government has also introduced the concept of rejection slip for the first time. "A common format of rejection slip is to be given to the vehicle owner in case the test result value is more than the maximum permissible value, as mandated in the concerned emission norms," the statement said.

This document will be allowed at service centres to get vehicles serviced or can be used at PUC centres, in case pollution checking device does not work at any of the centres. "If the driver or person in-charge of the vehicle fails to submit the vehicle for compliance or the vehicle fails to comply, the owner of the vehicle shall be liable for payment of penalty," it said.

"If the owner fails to comply with this, the registering authority shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing, suspend the certificate of registration of the vehicle and any permit granted, until such time a valid PUC certificate is generated," the statemen said.