Bhubaneswar, Sep 02: The Odisha government has decided to significantly cut penalties for driving without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena announced the move at a media briefing on Wednesday. He said the goal is compliance, not revenue collection.
Under the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019, the current fine stands at ₹10,000. The new proposal brings major relief for all vehicle categories.
Revised Fine Structure
•Two-wheelers: ₹1,000 for first offence, ₹2,000 for repeat violations
•Four-wheelers: ₹2,000 for first offence, ₹5,000 for repeat violations
•Other vehicles: ₹3,000 for first offence, ₹6,000 for repeat violations
Jena clarified that holding a valid PUCC remains mandatory for every vehicle on the road. The certificate cannot be skipped despite the reduced penalty.
He added that testing infrastructure has expanded sharply across the state. Odisha now has over 1,500 registered testing centres, up from just 50 earlier. More than 2,000 testing machines are currently active statewide.
The Minister linked the move to Orissa High Court directions on pending challans. Vehicle owners must clear challans pending beyond 90 days before renewal.
The state had also paused automatic toll-gate fine detection temporarily. This gave motorists time to update their pollution documentation. Officials urged motorists to get their PUCC without delay. Updated enforcement measures are expected to take effect soon.
