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Delhi Mandates 'No PUCC, No Fuel' Rule to Combat Winter Air Pollution
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News18•01-10-2026, 16:00
Delhi Mandates 'No PUCC, No Fuel' Rule to Combat Winter Air Pollution
- •The Delhi government implemented a strict “No PUCC, No Fuel” rule from October 1 to tackle winter smog and vehicular emissions.
- •Petrol pumps across Delhi are now prohibiting the sale of fuel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).
- •The initiative uses advanced monitoring technology, including ANPR cameras at approximately 500 fuel stations, to cross-reference vehicle registration details with national databases.
- •If a vehicle's PUCC is expired or absent, the automated system restricts fuel dispensing until a valid certificate is obtained.
- •The measure aims to force non-compliant and high-emitting vehicles off the roads or into immediate repair, addressing Delhi's dangerous winter air quality spikes.
Key Questions Answered
The Delhi government implemented the strict “No PUCC, No Fuel” rule starting October 1, prohibiting petrol pumps across the capital from selling petrol, diesel, CNG, and LPG to any vehicle without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).
Fuel stations use advanced Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera systems that scan a vehicle's registration plate upon approach, cross-referencing it with national vehicle database records to automatically restrict fuel dispensing if the PUCC is expired or missing.
Delhi routinely faces severe winter air quality spikes due to agricultural stubble burning in neighboring states, lower wind speeds, dropping temperatures, and dense urban vehicular traffic.
