Odisha govt extends PUCC deadline till March 31

The Odisha government on Wednesday extended the deadline of Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC) till March 31, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena announced on Tuesday.

The deadline, which was earlier extended from January to February, has now been further extended by two more months, allowing vehicle owners sufficient time to obtain or renew their PUCC without facing penalties.

Clarification on Green Stickers

The decision was made during an important meeting held at the Transport Minister’s residence, attended by the Transport Secretary and senior officials from the department. During the meeting, the Minister also clarified the confusion surrounding the green sticker, stating that it is not mandatory for vehicles. Green stickers will be made available at Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), and vehicle owners who have completed their PUCC may collect them voluntarily.

Also Read: Vehicle pollution certificate rush: Odisha Transport Department issues clarifications

Addressing concerns over irregularities in the issuance of PUC certificates, the Minister said that licenses of 42 Automated Pollution Testing (APT) centres have been cancelled following the detection of fake PUC certificates. To streamline the process and improve accessibility, applications for new APT centres will now be approved within 24 hours, he added.

Rush Continues At PUCC Centres

Meanwhile, a heavy rush has been reported at PUCC centres across the state. Earlier, due to limited time available for compliance, public dissatisfaction had increased. The latest extension is expected to ease the pressure on testing centres and provide relief to vehicle owners.

“We are ensuring that common people don’t suffer. So, we have extended it till March. As per today’s detailed discussion, Road Safety Month will be observed in January, when there will be orientation and training sessions. Furthermore, the green sticker is not mandatory. It is just for everyone’s comfort and to avoid unnecessary chaos for both the drivers and the checking officials. But, it is not mandatory,” informed Jena.