Maharashtra govt mulling policy to deny fuel to unfit vehicles: Minister
Last Updated: May 06, 2025, 02:34:00 PM IST
The Maharashtra government is contemplating a new policy to combat air pollution by denying fuel to vehicles lacking valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Minister Pratap Sarnaik emphasized the alarming rise in air pollution due to conventional fuel vehicles and the prevalence of fake PUC certificates.
The Maharashtra government is considering a policy to deny fuel at petrol pumps to unfit vehicles that contribute to air pollution, state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Tuesday.
During a review meeting with senior officials of the Motor Vehicles Department at Mantralaya, Sarnaik said a stringent policy in this regard will be in place soon.
#Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Live Updates| India strikes Pakistan two weeks after terrorist attack Pakistan a safe haven for terrorists, further attacks on India were planned, says MEA In shadow of wargames, India carries out Op Sindoor to punish Pakistan With the increase in the number of vehicles on roads, especially those running on conventional fuel, air pollution has risen at an alarming rate, he said in a release.
Though every vehicle is required to possess a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, there are reports of fake or improperly obtained certificates, the minister said.
"Only vehicles with valid certificates will be allowed to refuel.
'No PUC, no fuel' will be the guiding principle of the new policy," he said.
Sarnaik also pointed out that technically unfit vehicles were responsible for the deteriorating Air Quality Index (AQI) in urban areas, and to address this, the government plans to implement QR code-based PUC certificates and install systems at fuel stations to verify vehicle emission compliance in real-time.
The Cabinet has approved a Rs 7,145.14 crore, 117.7-km access-controlled greenfield highway between Kanpur and Kabrai on NH-34 in Uttar Pradesh. The BOT toll project is designed to cut travel time from 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours, strengthen links to the Kabrai mining belt and Bundelkhand corridor, and lower logistics friction for freight, construction material and agricultural movement.
NHAI has launched Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling at Manoharpura Toll Plaza on the Delhi-Jaipur section of NH-48 in Rajasthan. The barrier-free FASTag and ANPR system matters because it cuts toll-stop idling on a busy highway corridor, but users now need proper FASTag balance and must clear any e-notice within 72 hours to avoid double charges.
India has reset windfall-linked export duties from July 1, 2026 by raising the levy on petrol exports to Rs 4 per litre while cutting diesel and aviation turbine fuel export duties to Rs 8.50 and Rs 7.50 per litre respectively. The move matters because it changes refining economics, export incentives and the downstream pressure points that can eventually shape domestic fuel availability, airline costs and broader transport pricing.
State-run oil companies cut the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder price by Rs 183.50 from July 1, 2026 and reduced aviation turbine fuel by Rs 5 per litre to about Rs 110 in Delhi. The move offers relief to restaurants, hotels and airlines, but household LPG, petrol and diesel users are still waiting.
