Karnataka Motorists Hit with Pollution Fines Despite Valid Certificates
Hundreds of motorists from Karnataka are facing hefty pollution-related penalties in other states despite holding valid Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), prompting state transport minister Ramalinga Reddy to advise affected vehicle owners to seek legal recourse through consumer courts.
Minister Criticizes "Mindless" Penalties
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has strongly criticized the imposition of these penalties, stating they "lack due application of mind" from transport departments in other states. The minister's response comes amid a surge in complaints from car owners who have been fined by transport authorities in states including Odisha and Goa for alleged air and noise pollution violations.
The core issue revolves around Karnataka's delay in integrating PUCC data with the Vahan portal maintained by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). While vehicle owners in Karnataka obtain valid certificates from authorized emission testing centers, the absence of real-time data on the national portal has led enforcement agencies in other states to treat these vehicles as non-compliant during interstate travel.
Legal Deadline and Current Status
Reddy clarified that, according to a MoRTH notification, states have until March 31, 2026 to fully integrate PUCCs with the Vahan portal, with mandatory uploading of PUCC data becoming effective only from April 1, 2026. "Transport departments of other states penalised car owners without the application of mind. Integration of PUCCs with the Vahan portal is mandatory only from April 1, 2026. We are on the job," the minister told media outlets.
Advising motorists to seek legal remedy, Reddy specifically recommended that vehicle owners who received fines despite holding valid PUCCs should approach consumer courts against the authorities that issued the challans.
Case Study: Bengaluru Resident's Ordeal
One prominent case involves Bengaluru resident Ashish Kumar Baliyarsingh, who received fines totaling Rs 30,000 from the Odisha transport department in December 2025. The penalties were imposed for alleged air and noise pollution violations, despite his PUCC—issued by an authorized center in Bengaluru—remaining valid until December 2026.
"Two days after reaching my native place, I received two challans for pollution and noise violations. I received another challan for the same offence while returning to Bengaluru," Baliyarsingh recounted. "I raised grievances on official platforms and submitted all required documents, but no relief has been provided so far." His attempts to resolve the matter included tagging the Prime Minister and Union Road Transport Minister on social media, all without success.
Industry Concerns and Business Impact
Industry representatives confirm these cases are becoming increasingly common rather than isolated incidents. A leading tourist vehicle operator revealed that many Karnataka residents are now obtaining PUCCs from neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, as certificates from those states are instantly reflected on the Vahan portal. "When other states can ensure instant uploads, why can't Karnataka?" the operator questioned.
Yogesh, president of the Karnataka State Emission Testing Centres Owners Association, stated that his organization has repeatedly raised this issue with the transport department. "Twenty-six states are using NIC software that syncs PUCCs with the Vahan portal, but Karnataka is not keen on adopting it," he explained, adding that testing centers in Karnataka are suffering significant business losses as vehicle owners seek certificates outside the state to avoid penalties.
Growing Friction and Call for Responsibility
While the Karnataka transport department maintains that integration is underway and well within the central government's deadline, affected motorists argue that the minister's advice to approach consumer courts highlights growing friction between interstate enforcement practices and digital coordination gaps. Many believe the state government should take greater responsibility to resolve the technical issues rather than placing the burden on individual vehicle owners to pursue legal action.
The controversy has put significant spotlight on the Karnataka transport department's technological delays and their practical consequences for citizens traveling across state borders with properly certified vehicles.
