Gurgaon: Over six weeks past the deadline to install automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at fuel stations, the city is finally preparing to launch the technology following the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule enforced across NCR on Oct 1. The installation was supposed to be completed by Sept 30 but got stalled due to a delay in the tendering process.The delay has put Haryana’s preparedness under the scanner of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which had summoned the state’s transport department secretary and transport commissioner on Oct 16 over no installations or deployment work at the identified fuel stations. With the automated system yet to be installed, fuel station operators have been instructed to manually verify PUC certificates before dispensing fuel. The district administration has also directed pumps to display warning boards in Hindi and English, informing motorists about the restriction.District transport officer and regional transport authority secretary Sanjeev Singla said 300 ANPR cameras would be installed at petrol pumps across the city in the first phase. “The installation process will begin on Sunday. The department has sought a list of fuel stations from the food and supplies department to facilitate the exercise,” Singla said, adding that operators would have to refuse fuel to vehicles without valid PUC certificates and record their registration numbers for official purposes until the camera network becomes fully operational.Once installed, the cameras will automatically read vehicle registration numbers and match them with the online vehicle and Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUC) databases. Vehicles without valid certificates will be identified, allowing fuel station operators to deny them petrol, diesel and CNG.Transport minister Anil Vij had announced that 775 cameras would be installed across Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat and Jhajjar at an estimated cost of Rs 41.74 crore. Gurgaon was allocated the highest number of 249 cameras, followed by Sonipat (215), Jhajjar (195) and Faridabad (116).Gurgaon has 306 petrol pumps and 78 CNG stations, making the installation and integration of the camera network critical for effective enforcement. The administration has urged motorists to renew their pollution certificates to avoid being denied fuel.
