PUNE: Around 330 registered Pollution Under Control (PUC) centres across Pune have to start the online process for the PUC certificate, which has to directly upload emission details captured by the testing equipment on to the central Vahan database. This can be accessed by enforcement agencies using their hand-held devices. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has instructed all centres to start the online process.
“The online process of PUC has been launched across the State. The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had issued a circular last year. There were apprehensions that the systems are tweaked at PUC testing centres to get favourable emission data so that vehicles get a PUC. In almost all cases, the enforcement agencies have no option than relying on the PUC certificate that the vehicle owner provide at the time of checking,” said Vinod Sagre, Deputy RTO.
“As this is at an initial stage and under the system, the officers with hand-held devices for issuing e-challan can see the actual emission details as captured at the time of the vehicle undergoing the test. They can take action if they find the details of emission are different on the hard copy of PUC certificate and what is available online,” he said.
“What we need is real and random pollution check of vehicles that are on the move. The officers with the hand-held device can only check emission details captured during the PUC test. The certificate is valid for six months. There are ample chances that if a vehicle engine is not maintained properly, the emission level will increase. So, you have to carry out real-time tests on the road,” he added.
NEW ONLINE SYSTEM
- As many as 330 registered PUC centres across the city
- The centres have to directly upload emission details on Vahan database
- The centres need a laptop, a camera to capture the vehicles’ registration number
- This can be accessed by enforcement agencies using their hand-held devices
- The certificate is valid for six months
