Bhubaneswar: Odisha will begin strict enforcement of ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule from February 1 instead of first week of January 2026, it was officially stated on Wednesday.
The move to make pollution under control (PUC) certificates mandatory to get petrol or diesel aims at to curtailing vehicular pollution and ensure strict compliance with emission norms.
As per the State Transport Authority (STA), the decision to defer the implementation was taken after reviewing difficulties faced by vehicle owners in getting their PUC certificates. The rule was earlier scheduled to be enforced from January first week.
The deferment was approved following directions from Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, keeping public demand in mind, it said.
Vehicle owners have been urged to complete pollution checks and obtain valid PUC certificates as required under the Motor Vehicles Act during the extended period. The transport department expressed hope that the additional time would help people complete the process smoothly without confusion.
Petrol pumps cannot deny fuel to any vehicle on the grounds of not having a PUC certificate before February 1. At the same time, the department has decided to carry out extensive awareness campaigns across the state to inform people about the importance of pollution certification.
To help motorists comply with the rule, the government has provided an easy online method to locate authorised vehicle pollution testing centres across the state.
Vehicle owners can follow these simple steps to locate the nearest authorised PUC centre in their area:
1. Visit the official PUC portal at https://puc.parivahan.gov.in/puc/views/PUCCenterList.xhtml
2. Select Odisha from the list of states
3. Choose the Regional Transport Office (RTO) that covers your area.
4. The website will display a complete list of all authorised vehicle pollution testing centres functioning under the selected RTO, along with their addresses.
Besides raising awareness through display banners, all fuel stations have been directed to set up AI-enabled Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to verify vehicles’ PUC certificates and implement the “no PUC, no fuel” rule, according to Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur.
Until the cameras are fully operational, authorised emission testing centres have been directed to affix stickers on vehicles indicating the PUC validity period.
