Delhi Targets Vehicle Pollution With New PUC Checks, Cameras and Burari Testing Station

The Delhi government will launch an enforcement drive for valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates from October 1, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday, as the city steps up checks on vehicles to curb emissions.

Gupta made the announcement after inaugurating an Automatic Testing Station (ATS) in Burari. She said the facility would enable more commercial vehicles to be tested and checked for compliance with pollution norms.

The chief minister said the government was also installing cameras at all PUC centres that issue certificates. The measure is intended to strengthen monitoring of the certification process.

Delhi has around 953 authorised Pollution Checking Centres, according to a Delhi Assembly document. The Transport Department has also strengthened enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at about 500 strategic locations, including fuel stations and major inter-state bus terminals.

The ANPR system, along with manual enforcement, generated 2,88,864 challans in 2025 for vehicles without valid PUC certificates, according to the Assembly document.

The department sends automated SMS reminders to vehicle owners before their PUC certificates expire, including one month, 15 days and seven days before expiry and on the expiry date.

PUC testing equipment is required to remain properly calibrated. The department’s NIC software prevents machines with expired calibration or annual maintenance contracts from operating, according to the Assembly document.

From October 1, vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control Certificates in the National Capital Region are also to face restrictions on fuel supply at petrol pumps and CNG stations. ANPR cameras at fuel stations are being used to support enforcement.

Gupta said the Delhi government was taking measures to reduce air pollution and ensure clean air. The government has been working on measures covering road dust, traffic, electric buses, construction activity, waste management and other pollution sources.

The Burari ATS and expanded PUC monitoring add to the transport department’s enforcement system, with the October 1 deadline marking the next phase of checks on certificate validity.