No PUC? No Petrol. No Excuses: Delhi Govt’s Brutal Pollution Crackdown Begins
The Delhi government has intensified the enforcement of its ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ policy in a strong push to combat rising vehicular pollution across the national capital. Acting on the directives of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, authorities have been instructed to ensure strict and zero-tolerance implementation of the rule, which mandates that vehicles must possess a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate to avail fuel at petrol pumps. Originally launched in December 2025, the initiative is now being rigorously enforced after it was found that a significant number of vehicles continue to operate without valid emission certification, contributing heavily to deteriorating air quality.
The Chief Minister emphasized that controlling pollution requires firm and sustained interventions, warning officials that any negligence in enforcement will invite strict disciplinary action. Under the rule, petrol pumps and gas stations have been directed to deny fuel to non-compliant vehicles, while multiple agencies including the transport department, municipal bodies, and traffic police have been deployed for coordinated enforcement.
To strengthen monitoring, authorities have established 126 checkpoints, including key border entry points, with over 580 personnel and enforcement vans actively inspecting vehicles. Violators risk facing stringent penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act, including fines of up to Rs10,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce vehicular emissions, improve compliance, and significantly enhance Delhi’s air quality, which has long been a matter of serious environmental concern.
