Bhubaneswar: In a major relief for vehicle owners across the state, the Odisha Commerce and Transport Department has taken steps to reduce the heavy penalties levied for failing to possess a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate(PUCC). Commerce and Transport Minister Shri Bibhuti Bhusan Jena addressed the media to outline the administration’s intentions to ease financial burdens on the public while maintaining strict environmental standards.
Under the current legal framework originating from the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act of 2019, failure to present a valid certificate carries a steep fine of ten thousand rupees. During his media briefing, the Minister noted that the primary goal of the present government is not to collect revenue or penalize ordinary citizens, but to encourage widespread compliance and maintain air quality across the state.
To make enforcement more practical and fair, the transport department has drafted a proposal to significantly lower the fine structure. Under the new proposed penalty rates, two-wheeler riders would face a reduced fine of one thousand rupees for first-time offenses and two thousand rupees for repeat violations. For four-wheelers and other categories of motor vehicles, the suggested fine structure stands at two thousand rupees for initial violations and five thousand rupees for subsequent infractions. Other vehicles for first time offence those will be charged rupees three thousand and subsequent offences rupees six thousand will be charged.
Minister Shri Jena emphasized that despite the relief in fine amounts, obtaining a valid certificate remains mandatory for every operating vehicle. He highlighted that the state has expanded its infrastructure significantly, growing from just over fifty testing facilities in previous years to over fifteen hundred registered testing centers with more than two thousand active testing machines to ensure easy access for motorists.
The Minister also addressed related regulatory matters, clarifying that compliance aligns with directions from the Orissa High Court. Vehicle owners are required to clear traffic violation challans pending for over ninety days before a fresh certificate can be issued. The state government had temporarily relaxed strict enforcement and paused automatic toll-gate detection fines to give motorists adequate time to update their documentation. Motorists are encouraged to obtain their certification promptly to avoid penalties as updated enforcement measures take effect.