Odisha slashes vehicle pollution fines

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday reduced the fine for vehicles plying without a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate in the State following criticism from motorists, officials said.

The government had been imposing a Rs 10,000 fine on all categories of vehicles for the violation since 2019. The penalty has now been substantially reduced and categorised based on first and subsequent offences, they said. Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said the government was concerned about the problems faced by vehicle owners and did not intend to collect fines for generating revenue. Under the revised system, motorcycles and three-wheelers used for passenger or goods transport will attract a fine of Rs 1,000 for the first offence and Rs 2,000 for the second or subsequent offence, Jena said.

Similarly, cabs, cars, jeeps and tractors will attract a fine of Rs 2,000 for the first offence and Rs 5,000 for subsequent offences, he said. For other vehicle categories, including transport and heavy vehicles, the fine has been fixed at Rs 3,000 for the first offence and Rs 6,000 for the second or subsequent offence, Jena said.

The minister appealed to vehicle owners to comply with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and road safety norms in the larger public interest. He also urged vehicle owners and drivers to update their documents, such as registration and fitness certificates, insurance, permits, and PUCs, before driving.

Following the minister’s announcement, the State Transport department has issued a notification to implement the revised fine system. Alongside the relief on pollution fines, the Transport Minister issued a warning regarding 40 lakh uninsured vehicles actively operating in Odisha. The Transport department has been ordered to tighten enforcement and strictly penalise vehicle owners driving without valid insurance.