Odisha Cuts PUC Fine From Rs 10,000, Introduces Vehicle-Wise Graded Penalties

The Odisha government has reduced the penalty for vehicles operating without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, replacing the earlier flat fine of Rs 10,000 with a graded system based on vehicle category and whether the violation is a first or repeat offence.

The revised penalty structure comes after criticism from motorists over the steep fine that had been imposed uniformly on different categories of vehicles since 2019.

Under the new system, motorcycles and three-wheelers used for passenger or goods transport will face a fine of Rs 1,000 for the first offence. The penalty will increase to Rs 2,000 for a second or subsequent violation.

For cars, cabs, jeeps and tractors, the fine has been fixed at Rs 2,000 for the first offence and Rs 5,000 for repeat offences.

Other vehicle categories, including transport and heavy vehicles, will face a penalty of Rs 3,000 for the first offence and Rs 6,000 for a second or subsequent violation.

The revised rules significantly reduce the maximum financial burden on motorists compared with the earlier system, under which all vehicle categories could face a flat Rs 10,000 penalty for not carrying a valid PUC certificate.

The Odisha government said the decision was aimed at addressing concerns faced by vehicle owners rather than treating traffic and transport penalties as a source of revenue.

The state's Transport Department has issued a notification to implement the revised penalty structure.

Vehicle owners have also been urged to ensure that all mandatory documents are updated before taking their vehicles on the road. Apart from a valid PUC certificate, motorists have been asked to keep their registration documents, fitness certificates, insurance and permits valid wherever applicable.

A Pollution Under Control certificate is required for most petrol, diesel, CNG and LPG-powered vehicles operating on Indian roads. The certificate confirms that a vehicle's emissions are within the prescribed pollution limits.

Electric vehicles are generally exempt from the requirement because they do not produce tailpipe emissions.

The new graded fine system introduces different penalties according to the type of vehicle and the number of violations, moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach followed by Odisha for several years.

The move is expected to provide relief to vehicle owners while continuing to encourage compliance with pollution-control rules and other requirements under the Motor Vehicles Act.