Odisha Govt Extends PUCC Deadline Till March Amid Motorists' Objections

Bhubaneswar : The Odisha government on Wednesday extended the deadline for obtaining Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC) till March, following widespread public inconvenience and operational challenges in implementation.

Announcing the decision, commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said the extension was granted in the interest of motorists to ensure adequate time for compliance with pollution control norms across the state.

“The decision has been taken keeping public convenience in mind. Vehicle owners will now get sufficient time to obtain PUCCs without facing unnecessary hardship,” the minister said.

The move comes amid reports of long queues at emission testing centres, limited availability of authorised PUCC facilities in several districts, and growing concern among vehicle owners over potential penalties. In many rural and semi-urban areas, motorists had complained about the lack of adequate testing infrastructure and clarity regarding enforcement.

Officials said the additional time would help streamline the process, expand testing facilities, and improve awareness about pollution control requirements. The transport department has been instructed to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and ensure smoother implementation of emission norms during the extended period.

The PUCC is mandatory for all motor vehicles under the Motor Vehicles Act to check vehicular emissions and curb air pollution. Authorities reiterated that enforcement would continue in a phased and non-coercive manner until the new deadline.

The extension is expected to provide relief to lakhs of vehicle owners while enabling the state to better align enforcement with environmental objectives.