Central Law in Place To Archive Vehicles Without Insurance, PUC

 Kurnool: Central government has ruled that all motor vehicles, including two-wheelers, without mandatory documents, such as insurance and pollution under control (PUC) certificates, for four consecutive years will be treated as “archived.” Owners of archived vehicles will have to approach their respective regional transport offices (RTOs) for continuing to use them.

Vehicles without PUC and insurance for four years are being moved to the “Permanent Archive” category on the central VAHAN portal. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is sending SMS alerts to owners of such vehicles. The messages advise owners to contact the nearest RTO for further procedures.

Owners are required to regularise their documents and obtain the necessary clearances from the RTO, including a no objection certificate (NOC) for restoration of the vehicle registration records. Vehicles without an NOC can neither ply on roads or be sold or transferred legally.

Kadapa deputy transport commissioner M. Veerraju said insurance and pollution certificates have been mandatory for vehicles for a long time. "Driving a vehicle without valid insurance and a pollution certificate is an offence. Vehicle owners must ensure that these documents are renewed," Veerraju said.

The number of vehicles without PUC and insurance is significant in the Rayalaseema region. Kurnool, Nandyal, and Kadapa districts each register an average of 30,000 new two-wheelers annually. While insurance is generally available during the first year, owners of nearly 60 per cent of the vehicles reportedly do not renew insurance thereafter.

With around one lakh new two-wheelers entering the roads every year in these three districts alone, the number of vehicles with insurance and PUC is estimated to be nearly six lakh across Andhra Pradesh.

Kurnool resident M. Munivardhan Reddy said he received an SMS alert regarding his Royal Enfield motorcycle about a week ago. "The message stated that my vehicle has not had insurance for the last four years. It advised me to approach the RTO office. The officer informed me that I would have to obtain an NOC after completing the necessary procedures," Munivardhan said.

Transport department officials say the number of end-of-life and poorly maintained vehicles on roads is also increasing. Such vehicles are allegedly being operated without valid insurance, PUC certificates, or even registration certificates. These vehicles are also major polluters.

Two-wheelers’ data in Rayalaseema districts