Maharashtra revises PUC fees: New rates effective at all centres

The Maharashtra Transport Department has revised the fees for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates for motor vehicles, increasing them by 20%, according to a statement issued on Sunday. The new rates are mandatory at all PUC centres across the state.

Under the revised structure, the PUC testing fee for two-wheelers has increased from ₹50 to ₹60. For petrol-powered three-wheelers, the fee has been raised from ₹100 to ₹120. The charge for vehicles running on petrol, CNG or LPG has been increased from ₹125 to ₹150, while the fee for diesel vehicles has gone up from ₹150 to ₹180.

A PUC certificate is mandatory under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules for all vehicles running on petrol, diesel or CNG on Indian roads.

Why the fees were increased

The revision follows a demand from the Maharashtra State PUC Centre Owners Association for an increase in PUC testing charges. The Transport Department had constituted a three-member committee to examine the demand. The committee studied the prevailing PUC testing rates in other states, along with various other factors, and submitted a report recommending an upward revision, the statement said.

Implementation and monitoring

The department has directed all PUC centre owners to prominently display the revised fee structure at their centres. Officials have also been instructed to ensure that the revised rates are implemented uniformly at all PUC centres and that motorists are not charged more than the prescribed fees.

The Transport Department has further instructed that its 'Vayuveg' squads, or flying squads, be given necessary directions to monitor compliance and take action against centres violating the prescribed rates.