As Delhi moves to tighten the screws on air pollution, the city’s new rule barring vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) from refuelling from Thursday has sparked sharp reactions among commuters and drivers. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has said the decision reflects the government’s seriousness in curbing vehicular emissions, a major contributor to Delhi’s toxic air. 

Many have termed the move “unrealistic,” “impractical,” and even “stupid,” pointing to the shortage of PUC centres, limited working hours, and the qualification of staff present at PUC stations. 

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Social media reacts with anger and scepticism

An X (formerly Twitter) user shared a post, saying, “Ye sabse badi Bewkoofi hai. 50 rupaye mai PUCC ban jata hai. [This is the biggest stupidity. You can get a PUCC for just 50 rupees.]

One more post surfaced, where a user wrote, “Petrol stations are gonna make more money- Extra Money from selling petrol to vehicles with no PUCC.  Are the people working there even qualified enough to identify a fake certificate? Are the petrol station owners ready to lose money by denying sale? Can the govt ensure no certificate is issued by bribing?”

While another user wrote, “Najafgarh mein without PUCC mil raha hai fuel”. [They’re giving fuel without a PUCC in Najafgarh]

One more user shared, “PUCC centers are highly corrupt. They never do fair testing. Ultimately they will earn hefty  profits”.

Drivers question impact on air quality

Criticism has also come from drivers who doubt whether the policy will actually improve air quality. Speaking to ANI, one driver said, “They keep on spraying water on places, thinking AQI will reduce. If they want to spend so much money, why not spend it on AQI?”

Adding to it, the driver mentioned that, “Last year, the Kejriwal government had put so many filters, air purifiers, where are those? Why was pollution not decreasing then? Doing this, will pollution reduce? Other states do not have this pollution; why has it increased only in Delhi? Every other place also sells petrol.”

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At a PUC centre, an employee explained how checks usually play out, “At least 5-6% vehicles fail (the pollution check). If that happens, servicing and maintenance are done, and then it is checked again. If the servicing and maintenance are good, they pass the test; otherwise they may fail again,” he told news agency ANI.

Some drivers believe the decision is justified. A taxi driver told the news agency, “All my documents are up to date. Vehicles below BS-VI did not usually have pollution certificates, so this is a correct decision by the Government,” a driver told ANI.

Rush seen on PUC centres 

A rush has been seen at PUC centres as vehicle owners scramble to renew certificates. Petrol pump staff have been instructed to verify PUCCs before refuelling, with checks supported by ANPR systems and on-ground inspections as part of Delhi’s broader winter anti-pollution strategy.