Vehicles operating in Delhi without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate will face challans and fines of up to ₹10,000 from October 1, 2026, as the Delhi government prepares to launch a targeted enforcement drive.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the campaign will focus on identifying vehicles without valid PUC certificates and ensuring that they comply with prescribed emission standards. The government will also work towards improving the monitoring and functioning of PUC centres through technology.
Gupta said the system of PUC centres in the capital would be made more effective and reliable as part of the effort to strengthen pollution-related enforcement.
The existing Delhi Traffic Police penalty schedule lists driving without a PUCC as an offence under Rule 115 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules and Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, with a ₹10,000 penalty for both the first and subsequent violations.
What a PUC certificate means for vehicle owners
A PUC certificate confirms that emissions from a vehicle's tailpipe are within the permissible limits prescribed under motor vehicle regulations. Under Rule 115(7) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, every motor vehicle is required to obtain a valid PUC certificate one year after its first registration.
The certificate must also be produced when an authorised enforcement officer asks for it during an inspection. Delhi Traffic Police lists PUC among the documents that motorists should be ready to show when stopped for a traffic violation.
Petrol, diesel and CNG-powered vehicles are required to maintain valid PUC certificates. Electric vehicles, however, are exempt because they have no tailpipe emissions.
The government intends to use the enforcement campaign to improve compliance among vehicle owners and address vehicular emissions, which are a significant contributor to Delhi's air pollution.
Technology to strengthen checks at PUC centres
The planned technology upgrades are expected to improve monitoring at PUC centres and help authorities identify irregularities in the certification process.
Delhi already has a technology-based system for detecting vehicles that operate without valid PUC certificates. According to information placed before the Delhi Assembly, automatic number plate recognition technology has been installed at around 500 strategic locations, including fuel stations and major inter-state bus terminals, to identify vehicles without valid certificates and automatically generate challans. Physical road checks are also conducted by enforcement teams.
The same government information said around 953 PUC centres were operational in Delhi, including 698 at fuel stations and 255 at workshops. It also said automated SMS alerts are sent to motorists one month, 15 days and seven days before a PUC certificate expires, as well as on the date of expiry.
During 2025, a total of 2,88,864 challans were issued through manual enforcement and ANPR technology, according to the information submitted to the Assembly.
While enforcement against vehicles without valid PUC certificates is carried out throughout the year, authorities generally intensify inspections during the winter months. Seasonal weather conditions during winter can worsen Delhi's air quality, making efforts to control vehicular emissions particularly important.
The October 1 enforcement drive is therefore aimed at tightening compliance before the winter pollution season, alongside efforts to make PUC testing and monitoring more robust.