In a major relief for vehicle owners, the Odisha government has reduced penalties for failing to possess a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). The decision comes after months of public demand and widespread criticism over the earlier steep fines of up to Rs 10,000.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena announced the revised penalty structure in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Under the new rules, two-wheeler owners caught without a valid PUCC for the first time will have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000. The penalty will increase to Rs 2,000 for a second offence.
For three-wheelers, the fine has also been fixed at Rs 1,000 for the first violation and Rs 2,000 for a subsequent offence.
Tractor and trailer owners will face a penalty of Rs 2,000 for the first violation and Rs 5,000 if caught again.
For other categories of vehicles, the penalty will be Rs 3,000 for the first offence and Rs 6,000 for a second violation.
Earlier, Odisha had introduced penalties of up to Rs 10,000 for vehicles operating without a valid PUCC, making it one of the states with the highest penalties for the violation. The move had triggered strong resentment among motorists.
For nearly a year, vehicle owners had faced difficulties over the implementation of PUCC-related regulations. A government restriction that initially proposed denying fuel at petrol pumps to vehicles without a valid pollution certificate had also sparked a major controversy. The restriction was later withdrawn following strong public reactions.
However, the high penalty of up to Rs 10,000 continued to draw criticism, with many vehicle owners alleging that the fines were excessive.
Under the Central Motor Vehicles Act, penalties for violations related to pollution certificates can range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000. State governments have the discretion to determine the applicable penalty within the prescribed limit.
The latest decision to reduce the fines is expected to provide significant relief to lakhs of vehicle owners across Odisha.