Reported by The Times of India
New Delhi: Cars may be the usual suspects every time Delhi’s toxic air is discussed, but when it comes to violations of pollution-under-control certificate (PUCC) rules, two-wheelers lead the pack. Motorcycles and scooters accounted for more than three-fourths of PUCC challans issued in the capital this year, with the city’s top five repeat offenders also featuring two-wheelers.
Between Jan 1 and Oct 20, Delhi Traffic Police issued 4,41,911 challans for PUCC violations. Of these, 3,40,759, or 77.1%, were issued to two-wheelers. Cars accounted for 86,450 challans, or 19.6%. Together, the two categories made up nearly 97% of all violations recorded.
The numbers put the spotlight on motorcycles and scooters, often seen as more fuel-efficient and convenient for navigating Delhi’s congested roads. But their dominance in the challan figures suggests that keeping a vehicle’s emissions certificate valid remains a challenge for a significant number of owners.
The problem persists despite penalties and stepped-up enforcement. From Oct 1, Delhi intensified its ‘no PUCC, no fuel’ policy, barring vehicles without a valid certificate from refuelling at petrol pumps. Yet, during a TOI visit to pumps after the rule was introduced, some bikers appeared unaware of the requirement.
