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Time of India
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
50% vehicles in India uninsured, PUCC below 30% in these states: Report
A new report has raised serious questions about how responsibly Indians are maintaining their vehicles. While the country is witnessing a boom in vehicle ownership, many motorists are still missing out on basic legal requirements like insurance and pollution checks. Despite stricter laws and increased awareness around road safety, millions of vehicles across the country continue to ply without valid insurance or a Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). These findings are part of the latest ORBIT data study by CARS24. Here's a quick look at some key findings. According to the report, more than 50 percent of vehicles in India do not have valid insurance, and two-wheelers account for the majority of these cases. In addition, states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu show less than 30 percent compliance with PUCC norms. The report shows that even as the number of vehicles grows year after year, legal and environmental compliance is not keeping pace. Interestingly, the data also reveals that while southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala fare slightly better, with average compliance enforcement rates of around 9.6 percent, northern states are further behind at 5.6 percent. In the northern region, the bigger issue is lapsed or expired insurance, whereas in the southern states, the focus area remains PUCC violations. Maharashtra has an enforcement rate of just 1.9 percent. Rajasthan stands out with a relatively better rate of 6.74 percent. The study also sheds light on how people are using FASTags. Between June 2024 and June 2025, FASTag toll collections have grown by 17.53 percent, and the average FASTag wallet balance is ₹ 408. While this shows that digital toll payments are on the rise, the lack of basic vehicle documents points to a disconnect between digital adoption and legal compliance. Another major concern is the massive backlog of unpaid traffic fines. Since 2015, traffic challans worth ₹ 5.11 lakh crore have been issued. However, only ₹ 1.92 lakh crore has been paid so far, while the remaining ₹ 3.18 lakh crore is stuck in courts. As many as 7.69 crore challans are still pending litigation.
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
50% vehicles in India uninsured, PUCC below 30% in these states: Report
A new report has raised serious questions about how responsibly Indians are maintaining their vehicles. While the country is witnessing a boom in vehicle ownership, many motorists are still missing out on basic legal requirements like insurance and pollution checks. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite stricter laws and increased awareness around road safety, millions of vehicles across the country continue to ply without valid insurance or a Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). These findings are part of the latest ORBIT data study by CARS24. Here's a quick look at some key findings. According to the report, more than 50 percent of vehicles in India do not have valid insurance, and two-wheelers account for the majority of these cases. In addition, states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and show less than 30 percent compliance with PUCC norms. The report shows that even as the number of vehicles grows year after year, legal and environmental compliance is not keeping pace. MG Windsor Pro EV Review: More Range, Tech, Safety | TOI Auto Interestingly, the data also reveals that while southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala fare slightly better, with average compliance enforcement rates of around 9.6 percent, northern states are further behind at 5.6 percent. In the northern region, the bigger issue is lapsed or expired insurance, whereas in the southern states, the focus area remains PUCC violations. Maharashtra has an enforcement rate of just 1.9 percent. Rajasthan stands out with a relatively better rate of 6.74 percent. The study also sheds light on how people are using FASTags. Between June 2024 and June 2025, FASTag toll collections have grown by 17.53 percent, and the average FASTag wallet balance is Rs 408. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While this shows that digital toll payments are on the rise, the lack of basic vehicle documents points to a disconnect between digital adoption and legal compliance. Another major concern is the massive backlog of unpaid traffic fines. Since 2015, traffic challans worth Rs 5.11 lakh crore have been issued. However, only Rs 1.92 lakh crore has been paid so far, while the remaining Rs 3.18 lakh crore is stuck in courts. As many as 7.69 crore challans are still pending litigation. Discover everything about the automotive world at Times of India.
Indian Express
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Anti-smog guns, cloud seeding, decongesting roads: Delhi govt stepping up effort to fight air pollution, SC told
Anti-smog guns, road sweeper machines, mist sprays, cloud seeding and a detailed road redevelopment plan to decongest the Capital are among the key measures proposed by the Delhi government in a petition filed recently in the Supreme Court to seek a review of the blanket ban on overage vehicles across the National Capital Region (NCR). Calling for a 'scientific, data-driven framework' that considers 'all relevant indicators to ascertain individual vehicular pollution,' the Delhi government's review petition dated July 24 highlights various technological interventions that it is undertaking in the city, which, it said, 'have been significantly instrumental towards controlling air pollution levels'. The 'good-days' in terms of air quality have increased from 159 in 2018 to 209 in 2024, it said, adding that the city experienced 106 good days this year between January 1 to July 11. Strict checks for Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) at petrol pumps, push for retrofitting of old vehicles with components that reduce emissions, promotion of electric buses and EVs for last mile connectivity are among the other measures mentioned in the petition. Of the total 6,638 buses, the city has 3,021 cluster buses — 2,283 are fuelled by CNG and 738 are electric buses. Of the total 3,617 DTC buses, 1,407 are CNG buses and 2,210 are electric buses, the government underlined. The Delhi government has issued directions under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, on the mandatory installation of anti-smog guns on highrises, including all commercial, government and educational institutions, remote monitoring of construction and demolition (C&D) work sites through web portals and 100% processing of C&D demolitions, the court was told. '…6,000 TPD (tonnes per day) of C&D is generated in Delhi. Presently, four C&D waste processing capacity of plants (5,150 TPD) are operational and one C&D waste processing facility at Tehkhand (1,000 TPD) will be operational by December 2026,' reads the petition. The government has also mentioned its plan to deploy 84 mechanical road sweepers, 218 water sprinklers, and 109 anti-smog guns (52 mobile and 57 static) in shifts for road dust control with special emphasis on 13 identified hotspots. Additionally, 250 water sprinkler machines integrated with anti-smog guns and 70 MRS machines, integrated with 210 water sprinklers, and anti-smog guns; 18 dump vehicles and 18 water tankers will be deployed to curb air pollution by the Public Works Department (PWD), it said. To fill the gap in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and capacity and also to meet the future requirement considering the increase in population, MCD has proposed MSW processing facilities in Delhi with a total additional capacity of 7,750 TPD by 2028, the government underlined. It has also directed the industrial units to use PNG, said to reduce energy waste, and is also taking measures to control stubble burning. The government has also constituted district-wise cross-functional teams, tasked with checking the on-ground enforcement of measures being taken for controlling air pollution, under the Co-Chairmanship of District Magistrates (Revenue), Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and Deputy Commissioners of MCD. Moreover, to declutter the roads of the national capital, the government has laid an ambitious and detailed plan in partnership with the Centre, the court was told. This includes planning of several elevated corridors and underpasses at key traffic junctions like ITO intersection, Deshbandhu Gupta Road, Chhatarpur intersection, Shivaji Marg, flyover at NSG junction near IGI airport and elevated corridor over inner Ring Road. Apart from these, some projects have also been undertaken by NHAI on the outer roads of Delhi to divert vehicles entering from other states. 'It is our responsibility to support the people and their opinions. The previous government did not work on the environment and let the people suffocate and die that the court and NGT had to bring such a rule… We are working to provide a better atmosphere for Delhi through all possible efforts. Therefore, we want the court to take cognizance of this, and just as there are rules for everyone in the entire country, similar rules should be applicable in Delhi,' CM Rekha Gupta said at an event. 'Even if a vehicle is only five years old and polluting, the rules should apply to it. However, if a vehicle is fit and does not pollute, it should be allowed to operate. The government has presented its case to the court, and I believe that the respected court will take note of this and give the people of Delhi their right,' she said.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Tech glitch holding up pollution certs for vehicles with pending challans: Govt
Guwahati: Vehicles with pending traffic challan compliance are not being issued Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC) due to a deficiency in the software, the state transport department said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This came to the fore during the hearing of a petition filed by the Metropolitan Transports Association and one Manoj Kumar Thakuria regarding the issue. The court took note that the ministry of road transport and highways brought certain amendments through a notification issued in Sept 2020 in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. It noted that one of such amendments provides that if a challan is due beyond the specified time period, except in the case of offences instituted for prosecution by the court, then applications with respect to the licences of offenders or registration of motor vehicles mentioned in the challans shall not be processed by the licensing authority or the registering authority, except applications relating to permits, fitness, and taxes of motor vehicles. In sum and substance, the court stated, the amendment ensures that traffic challans are complied with, and during the period when the challans remain pending compliance, there could be no registration of the vehicle mentioned in the challan or renewal of the licence of the offender. However, the court said a motor vehicle to be plied on roads requires many other certifications, including the PUCC. The contention of the petitioners is that during the pendency of the compliance of challans, the PUCCs are not being granted. The court said it appears that the software developed by NIC does not capture the PUCC certification. A clarification was issued by the road transport ministry in May last year, reaffirming that there is no legal restriction on issuing PUCCs to vehicles with fines, and states and the union territories were requested to implement the updated PUCC software with version 2.0. The court of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Michael Zothankhuma said the amended rules do not proscribe the issuance of a PUCC during the pendency of the challan compliance. "RKD Choudhury (Deputy Solicitor General of India ) submits that he shall take instructions and shall get back to this court on the next date," the court added, listing the matter on Aug 14.
India Gazette
01-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Impractical step, BJP does not know how to run govt: AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj on no fuel for end-of-life vehicles in Delhi
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Reacting to Delhi's fuel ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from today, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that this step was impractical and the BJP did not know how to run the government. Saurabh Bharadwaj said, 'Didn't they have any other way of stopping old vehicles? Now that the Monsoon has hit Delhi, will they conduct a pilot project for artificial rain? You've (BJP) filled in small potholes but left the larger ones as they are. Owners of Petrol Pump Associations say that this step is impractical. Will the petrol pump operator fight with the customer to stop giving petrol to them? They (BJP) don't know how to run the government.' He further alleged that for the next 5 years, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will keep accusing the Aam Aadmi Party. 'After 5 years, CM Rekha Gupta will say that we could not do anything because Arvind Kejriwal did not work accordingly in the past. When there was the Kejriwal government, he never blamed former CM Sheila Dikshit for any work not done,' he added. From today, all End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles identified through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at fuel stations across Delhi will not be allowed to refuel, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). According to the CAQM, this enforcement will extend to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat from November 1, while the rest of the National Capital Region (NCR) will implement the restriction from April 1, 2026. CAQM's member Dr Virendra Sharma said ANPR cameras have been installed at 500 fuel stations across Delhi, enabling real-time recording and tracking of vehicle data. To date, 3.63 crore vehicles have been screened through this system, of which 4.90 lakh vehicles have been identified as End-of-Life (EoL). He added that 29.52 lakh vehicles have renewed their Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), resulting in the generation of challans amounting to Rs 168 crores. To strengthen enforcement, 100 dedicated teams from the Transport Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, are actively monitoring vehicle data to identify fuel stations with the highest number of EoL vehicles and ensure targeted compliance action. Dr Sharma said, 'It is very important to remove old BS standard vehicles to clean the air of Delhi and NCR. These vehicles play a big role in air pollution. Now that a transparent, digital and accountable system is in place, it will also be used at toll centres to make this system more effective. About 100 enforcement teams will work for this.' (ANI)
