The central government is considering significant relaxations in the renewal rules for the Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) for Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) vehicles. This initiative aims to ease the regulatory burden on owners of new, less polluting vehicles.
According to a report by NDTV, the proposal suggests extending the validity of the PUCC for new BS-VI private cars from the current one year to three years. If approved, owners of BS-VI private cars would only need to renew their pollution certificate twice during the vehicle’s first six years, rather than annually.
Under the proposed rules, the PUCC validity for BS-VI private vehicles up to six years old would be three years. For vehicles aged six to ten years, annual renewal would still be required, while cars older than ten years would need to renew their certificates every six months.
The government is also considering separate regulations for commercial BS-VI vehicles. For commercial vehicles up to six years old, the PUCC validity could be extended to two years. Once they exceed six years, the same renewal schedule as private vehicles would apply.
This proposal is based on the significantly lower emissions produced by BS-VI vehicles compared to older models. BS-VI compliant vehicles emit up to 82% less particulate matter (PM) and approximately 25% less nitrogen oxides (NOx) than BS-IV vehicles, making them much cleaner and less polluting.
Officials stated that the proposed changes aim to discourage the continued use of older, more polluting vehicles, recognizing their role in deteriorating air quality. The government is also working to strengthen the PUCC testing process to ensure greater accuracy and prevent manipulation of emission readings.
Experts, including a former joint secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport, have supported this proposal, citing the lower emissions from new BS-VI vehicles as justification for the longer certificate validity period.
However, some experts have advised caution. Former Deputy Transport Commissioner Anil Chikara emphasized that the government should also consider vehicle maintenance standards, as poorly maintained new cars can still produce high emissions.