Gurgaon: Vehicle owners in Haryana’s national capital region (NCR) districts will no longer be able to buy petrol or diesel without a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate from Oct 1.The state govt has decided to enforce a “No PUC, no fuel” policy through technology-driven checks at fuel stations.To implement the policy, govt will install automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at all fuel stations — 2,780 — across Haryana NCR by Sept 30.According to the implementation plan, all fuel stations currently are without ANPR infrastructure. The govt has fixed Sept 30 as the deadline for completing the rollout, with enforcement beginning the following day.The decision is likely to affect lakhs of vehicle owners in Haryana NCR who fail to renew their pollution certificates on time.The move is also expected to increase footfall at authorised pollution testing centres in the weeks leading up to Oct 1.The initiative follows directions issued by Commission for Air Quality Management, which has asked NCR states to implement the “No PUC, no fuel” mechanism to improve compliance with pollution norms and identify highly polluting vehicles.“Installation will begin in Aug at 775 fuel stations located in the city, Faridabad, Jhajjar and Sonipat, while the remaining 2,005 outlets in other NCR districts will be covered in Sept,” said an official.The system will automatically read a vehicle’s registration number and verify whether it has a valid PUC certificate before fuel is dispensed. If the PUC has expired or is unavailable, the system will flag the vehicle and fuel will not be supplied.Under the new arrangement, every fuel station will be equipped with ANPR cameras linked to VAHAN database and pollution certificate records. When a vehicle enters the fuel station, the ANPR camera will capture its registration number.“The verification process will take only a few seconds and is expected to be fully automated, minimising inconvenience for motorists,” said the official, adding, “The policy is intended to improve compliance rather than penalise motorists.” Authorities expect the measure to encourage timely renewal of PUC certificates and reduce emissions from poorly maintained vehicles.Owners of petrol, diesel, CNG and commercial vehicles will have to ensure that their PUC certificates remain valid before visiting fuel stations. Vehicles with expired certificates will first need to undergo an emission test at an authorised PUC centre before they can refuel.What is a PUC certificate?A PUC certificate certifies that a vehicle’s emissions are within the limits prescribed under Central Motor Vehicles Rules. It is mandatory for all motor vehicles operating on Indian roads. Driving without a valid PUC certificate can already attract a fine of Rs 10,000 under Motor Vehicles Act. The new policy adds another layer of enforcement by linking compliance directly to fuel availability.Haryana is implementing the policy in line with a broader NCR-wide strategy. Delhi has already announced “No PUC, no fuel” and is integrating fuel stations with digital verification systems. Uttar Pradesh has initiated preparations in its NCR districts, including Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Meerut and adjoining areas, following CAQM directions. Rajasthan’s NCR district of Alwar has also been asked to adopt the mechanism.Officials believe synchronised implementation across NCR states will significantly improve compliance with emission norms and help curb vehicular pollution, one of the major contributors to deteriorating air quality in the region.
