Alarming Majority of Telangana Vehicles Operate Without Pollution Compliance
At a critical juncture when India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, a startling revelation from Telangana highlights a severe gap in environmental enforcement. Data obtained from the Telangana Road Transport Authority (RTA) indicates that an overwhelming majority of vehicles in the state are running without mandatory pollution compliance documents, posing a significant threat to air quality and public health.
Staggering Non-Compliance Rates Across the State
According to the RTA figures, out of the 1.7 crore vehicles registered in Telangana, a staggering 1.61 crore do not possess a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. This translates to over 90% of vehicles plying on the state's roads, with a substantial concentration in the capital city of Hyderabad. The situation is particularly dire for ageing vehicles, where compliance rates plummet to alarming lows.
As of February 2, Telangana has approximately 47.8 lakh vehicles that are 15 years old or more. Yet, barely 1% of these older vehicles, or about 88,000, hold a valid PUC certificate. Environmental experts emphasize that older vehicles, especially diesel-powered ones, are notorious for emitting significantly higher levels of pollutants, exacerbating air pollution concerns in urban areas like Hyderabad.
Environmentalists and Officials Call for Action
Given that vehicular emissions are a primary contributor to deteriorating air quality, environmentalists have expressed grave concerns. BV Subba Rao, a prominent environmentalist, urged the government to enhance scrutiny and implement visible compliance mechanisms. He suggested introducing colour-coded PUC stickers that must be displayed on vehicles, digitally linked to a central database. This would enable traffic personnel to swiftly identify and penalize violators, thereby improving enforcement efficiency.
RTA officials acknowledged the need for intensified enforcement drives against vehicles lacking valid PUC certificates. C Ramesh, Joint Transport Commissioner of Hyderabad, revealed plans to deploy Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. These cameras are designed to automatically generate challans for vehicles missing mandatory documents, including PUC certificates, and integrate seamlessly with the e-challan system. The proposal is currently in the tender process, with an anticipated rollout later this year.
Credibility Issues in PUC Certification System
Road safety experts have raised serious doubts about the integrity of the existing PUC issuance system. Vinod Kanumala from the Indian Federation of Safety alleged that many PUC centre operators manually enter emission readings without conducting actual vehicle tests, issuing certificates based on fabricated data. Authorities, in turn, rely on this unverified information without independent checks, undermining the entire certification process.
Kanumala stated, "Forget about invalid PUC certificates; even valid ones are questionable due to widespread malpractice at testing centres. This lack of oversight renders the emission certification system ineffective in curbing pollution."
Insurance Non-Compliance Adds to the Crisis
The compliance crisis extends beyond emission norms to include motor insurance. RTA data reveals that over 1.4 crore vehicles in Telangana lack valid motor insurance, a mandatory requirement under the Motor Vehicles Act. This non-compliance not only violates legal statutes but also leaves vehicle owners financially exposed in the event of accidents, repairs, or third-party liability claims.
PUC and insurance certificates are among the four essential documents—along with a driving licence and vehicle registration certificate—that motorists must produce during vehicle checks. Both are also compulsory for renewing vehicle registration and fitness certificates. Kanumala attributed this widespread gap to weak on-ground enforcement, noting that police often overlook insurance documents during routine inspections, focusing instead on registration and licences.
He added, "Insurance verification typically occurs only after accidents, and some agents create temporary or fake policies to facilitate RTA transactions, with officials failing to scrutinize these documents thoroughly."
The combined non-compliance in pollution control and insurance underscores urgent needs for systemic reforms, stricter enforcement, and technological interventions to safeguard environmental and public health in Telangana.
