Delhi Fuel Stations Begin Enforcing No PUCC No Fuel Rule
Fuel stations across Delhi, including pumps on Asaf Ali Road, began strictly enforcing the 'No PUCC, No Fuel' rule on Thursday. Under the mandate, vehicles lacking a valid Pollution Under Control certificate or those that have exceeded their permitted operational age are prohibited from refuelling.
Ahead of the rollout, station managers reviewed the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems installed at dispensing sites. The ANPR cameras, which were introduced in Delhi last year, scan the licence plate of each arriving vehicle and cross-reference its details, including fuel type, with the central VAHAN database. If a vehicle is identified as overage or lacks an active PUCC, an automated alert flags the violation through speakers installed at the station.
Station operators confirmed that non-compliant motorists were being turned away immediately upon being detected. Kanhaiya Lal, a manager at a fuel station on Asaf Ali Road, said staff were adhering strictly to the system's warnings. "We are not dispensing fuel to anyone flagged by the system. We are requesting such vehicle owners to get their PUCC renewed," Lal said.
The decision to ban non-compliant vehicles from refuelling across the capital was announced following a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on September 28. The measure forms part of an action plan aimed at curbing air pollution across Delhi and the wider National Capital Region.
Alongside the enforcement at fuel pumps, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated the Delhi Pollution Control Committee's Integrated Command and Control Centre on Thursday. According to an official statement, the facility will facilitate real-time monitoring of various pollution sources, AI-based data analysis, and the integration of public complaints with field inspection reports to streamline inter-departmental coordination.
Speaking at the inauguration of the monitoring centre, the Chief Minister underscored ongoing administrative measures to address citywide emission levels. "The government is making continuous efforts against pollution throughout the year and round the clock," Gupta said.
