Delhi’s ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ directive came into force from December 18, with authorities claiming firm action across the capital, even as on-ground enforcement remained patchy and air quality continued to deteriorate through the day.
According to official data, 3,746 vehicles were challaned within the first 24 hours for not having a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. During the same period, more than 61,000 PUC certificates were issued across the city, indicating a surge in compliance attempts by vehicle owners following the rollout of the rule.
Enforcement agencies intensified checks at entry points into the capital, where joint teams screened close to 5,000 vehicles. Several non-compliant vehicles were turned back, while hundreds of heavy vehicles were diverted through peripheral expressways to reduce the pollution load within city limits.
Despite these measures, Delhi’s air quality showed no immediate improvement. The Air Quality Index slipped deep into the ‘very poor’ category by morning and edged close to the ‘severe’ range by night, underlining the limited short-term impact of the restriction during the peak winter pollution season.
Ground-level checks, however, revealed inconsistencies in enforcement at fuel stations. While mandatory notices warning motorists about the PUC requirement were prominently displayed, enforcement personnel were missing at several petrol pumps. Fuel station staff said they were only responsible for informing customers and not authorised to deny fuel or enforce compliance, citing the risk of confrontations.
The Environment Minister, who carried out surprise inspections, acknowledged the challenges in ensuring uniform enforcement. He said that even partial implementation would be considered a success at this early stage and stressed that the primary objective of the measure was safeguarding public health rather than issuing fines.
Civic agencies also reported parallel action against other pollution sources, including large-scale road sweeping, deployment of anti-smog guns, closure of illegal dumping sites and processing of legacy waste. However, these steps were yet to reflect in air quality readings.
As Delhi enters another spell of severe winter pollution, the first day of the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule highlighted the familiar gap between policy intent and on-ground execution, with environmental conditions remaining largely unchanged.
