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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.
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Day 1 of ban on overage vehicles in Delhi: 80 vehicles impounded, many carry bottles for petrol
It's 2 pm and several green and yellow autorickshaws are in queue at the Bahadurshah Zafar Marg petrol pump. So are a dozen cars. A man, carrying only a plastic container, walks up to the manager at the pump. 'Sir bottle me petrol milega kya (Will you give me petrol in a bottle),' he asked. 'We can't do that… please go away,' the manager replied. Tuesday was the first day of the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) — diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years – in the Capital. While 80 vehicles were seized, 98 people, whose vehicles could not be impounded, were issued notices on Tuesday, a senior officer from the Delhi Transport department stated. To implement the ban, 350 teams from various departments, including the Delhi Police, the MCD and the Transport department, have been stationed 24×7 across the 498 petrol pumps in the Capital. Among these petrol pumps, The Indian Express visited 10 on Tuesday. In all the 498 petrol pumps, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed to scan licence plates for vehicles and instantly cross-check their details against the data registered in the Union government's VAHAN portal. In case the vehicle is flagged as ELV or lacking a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC), an audio alert is sent to the petrol pump operator. 'A Maruti 800, which was used to deliver drinking water at our pump, has now stopped coming,' the pump manager at Bahadurshah Zafar Marg told The Indian Express. 'Whenever that car used to come, the microphone raised an alert – 'don't refuel this vehicle, it's 15 years old',' an employee who has been working at the petrol pump said. The APNR cameras had been installed at the station three months ago, he added. 'Since morning, 600 vehicles have come here. None of them were ELVs. However, 10-12 people have asked us for petrol in containers. We have refused every time,' the manager said. At 100 petrol pumps, Delhi Police personnel have also been deployed. 'We have impounded one vehicle since morning. The ANPRs are very helpful… these announce whenever the cameras spot an old vehicle,' a police officer deployed at the Ashram Chowk petrol pump said. Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said, 'Though we have seized over 18,000 ELVs vehicles till now in 2025, no major impact could be seen on the pollution levels… A decision to stop giving fuel has been taken to ensure that such vehicle owners either move their vehicles out of Delhi or hand them over to the scrappers.' 'All the agencies involved, Delhi Transport department, MCD, Delhi Traffic Police and local police are working together… No unpleasant incident has occurred so far,' he added. At the Nizamuddin West Petrol pump, an employee told The Indian Express, 'Since morning, 1,200 cars had come to the pump, but none were ELVs. I think the main reason is that people are aware of what's happening.' 'Officials from MCD, Transport department and Delhi Police have been visiting us for the last few weeks. We are complying with orders. If someone with an old vehicle misbehaves with us when we refuse to give fuel, we call the police,' he added. Since morning, 1,200 cars had come to the pump, but none were ELVs, he said. The ban follows orders issued earlier this year by the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), which mandated that fuel be denied to ELVs starting July 1. According to CAQM estimates, Delhi-NCR's transport sector contributes about 28% of PM 2.5, 41% of SO2 (sulphur dioxide), and 78% of NOX (nitrous oxide) emissions to overall air pollution.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Time of India
Top Traffic Offences: What We See — And What We Don't
New Delhi: In popular imagination, Delhi's traffic violations play out like a well-worn reel — bikers zipping past without helmets, cars casually parked across footpaths, autos cutting through traffic, and intersections gridlocked by design and defiance. These are everyday images we associate with road indiscipline. But zoom in on the city's prosecution data until May 31, 2025, and the frame shifts. The real story of Delhi's most common offences is not just about what's obvious — it's also about what's often invisible. Improper or obstructive parking, no surprise, leads the charge. The western range has logged over 1.03 lakh violations, followed closely by the New Delhi range with 89,000-plus and 70,498 in the Central Range. From narrow residential lanes in Malviya Nagar to the buzzing commercial stretches of Punjabi Bagh, the script is familiar: too many vehicles, not enough space, and little regard for where they're left behind. It's a citywide obstacle course where cars routinely spill onto pavements, entrances, and exits — anything but a marked slot. Riding without a helmet, too, continues to dominate with around 2,45,727 violations across five ranges. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like local network access control Esseps Learn More Undo In the New Delhi range, it's not among the top five. The western range leads the chart, with 57,064 prosecutions, while the central, eastern and northern ranges have all seen above 50,000 prosecutions. Yet, despite repeated campaigns and crackdowns, the helmet remains more of an afterthought than a necessity for many riders and even more so for pillion passengers. But where things get interesting — and alarming — is just beneath this layer of visible violations. Two seemingly quiet offences are emerging just as prominently: driving without a Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) and valid insurance. These aren't the headline-making, in-your-face kinds of infractions. You don't see smoke trails or flashing "No Insurance" signs on a car. But the numbers tell a sharp story. In the western and eastern ranges, over 69,000 vehicles were prosecuted without a PUCC, with this being the top offence in the eastern range. Similarly, in the southern range, with 62,379 prosecutions, PUCC violations surpassed cases of illegal parking and held the first position in the top five. This is in a city where air pollution is a seasonal crisis and vehicle emissions are a major contributor. Likewise, driving without valid insurance, often dismissed as an oversight, is widespread. In the Central Range, 38,606 prosecutions were recorded, a figure that surpasses even helmet violations in some other ranges. Driving without a licence is also growing. In all six ranges, it's one of the top five offences. 47,427 prosecutions were recorded in the western range, followed by 41,848 in the northern range. What makes the violations concerning is that they go largely unnoticed, until a traffic stop, or worse, an accident. A missing PUCC means a potentially polluting vehicle left unchecked. No insurance means no financial or legal cover in the case of a mishap. Yet, because they don't obstruct traffic or draw attention, they rarely spark the same reaction as a badly parked car. Interestingly, across all seven traffic ranges in Delhi, the top five offences remain the same: improper parking, missing PUCC, helmetless riding, lack of a driving licence, and missing insurance. The uniformity speaks volumes. It suggests not just a pattern in enforcement, but a pattern in behaviour cutting across class, region and vehicle type. From Lutyens' Delhi to neighbourhoods of the east and north, the rules people flout remain consistent. The data also challenges how we perceive road safety. Helmet drives, parking fines, and tow-away zones dominate the public narrative — and rightly so. But the real danger may lie in the quieter breaches. They may not be visible, but their impact — legal, financial, environmental — runs deep. It's about what slips past unchecked.
