Delhi residents should get their vehicles’ Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates done quickly as PUC centers will be closed from July 15, according to petrol pump owners. The announcement comes after the Delhi government increased the fees for PUC certificates for petrol, CNG, and diesel vehicles for the first time in nearly 13 years. Petrol pump owners have expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed fee hike and have decided to shut down the PUC centers starting Monday.
In a statement, petrol pump owners mentioned that operating the PUC centers is unprofitable. The Delhi government recently raised the fees for PUC certificates by ₹20 to ₹40.
What Does the DPDA Have to Say?
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot stated that the new rates will come into effect as soon as they are notified by the Delhi government. The Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA) mentioned that operating PUC centers is unprofitable, leading many PUC centers to surrender their licenses in recent months.
Petrol Dealers Association Unhappy with Fee Increase
The Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA) has expressed dissatisfaction with the fee increase for PUC certification. According to a statement, the association’s managing committee has resolved to close PUC centers at their pumps across Delhi starting July 15 due to the inadequate increase in certification fees. They believe the hike will not sufficiently offset the operational losses of the PUC centers.
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Increased Operating Costs
The association highlighted that while PUC fees were last revised in 2011 after a six-year gap with an increase of over 70%, the recent 35% increase is insufficient given the significantly higher costs of operating PUC centers over the past 13 years. The costs associated with running these centers have multiplied.
Annual PUC Requirement
The statement also noted that oil marketing companies are now charging heavy rents from PUC centers—about 10-15% of total revenue—which was not the case previously. It further mentioned that previously, vehicles required pollution checks every three months, but with the introduction of BS-VI and higher emission standards, PUC certification is now required only once a year.
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