In a major push to tackle air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Haryana government will implement the ‘No Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate, No Fuel’ policy from October 1, making it mandatory for vehicles to possess a valid PUC certificate to obtain fuel.
The decision was reviewed during a high-level meeting chaired by Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi under the framework of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
Additional Chief Secretary, Transport, Rajasekhar Wundru said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve air quality and strengthen pollution control measures across Haryana’s NCR districts.
To support cleaner public transportation, the state government has planned the deployment of 925 electric buses across Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal and Rohtak during 2026.
According to officials, 70 electric buses are already operational, while procurement orders have been placed for an additional 385 buses as part of the phased rollout.
The state is also expanding its air quality monitoring network. Wundru said 23 new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) will become operational before September 30, increasing the total number of such centres in Haryana to 45.
In preparation for the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ policy, Automatic Number Plate Identification (ANPR) systems are being installed at all 2,780 petrol pumps located in NCR districts. These systems will automatically verify the validity of a vehicle’s Pollution Under Control certificate before fuel is dispensed.
Officials said the technology-driven mechanism is expected to ensure strict compliance and reduce vehicular emissions, a major contributor to air pollution in the region.
The state government has also intensified action against overage vehicles. So far, authorities have seized 2,883 vehicles that exceeded permissible age limits and scrapped 2,010 such vehicles.
Additionally, more than 6,000 No Objection Certificates (NOCs) have been issued to vehicle owners opting for voluntary removal of overage vehicles from the region.
The measures form part of Haryana’s ongoing efforts to align with CAQM directives and address deteriorating air quality across NCR cities, particularly during the winter months when pollution levels often spike to hazardous levels.
Officials expressed confidence that stricter enforcement, cleaner public transport and enhanced monitoring infrastructure would significantly contribute to improving air quality and reducing pollution-related health risks in the region.
