India’s roads are witnessing an ever-increasing number of vehicles, but alongside this growth is a silent environmental threat—millions of ageing two-wheelers and four-wheelers operating with poor maintenance and questionable Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Hyderabad, like many major Indian cities, is no exception. While authorities focus on traffic management and road infrastructure, the problem of vehicle emissions continues to worsen.
Many vehicles that are over 10, 15 or even 20 years old continue to ply on city roads. A significant number of these emit smoke far beyond the permissible limits due to worn-out engines, poor maintenance, adulterated fuel, and neglected servicing. Yet, many of them somehow possess valid PUC certificates, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness and integrity of the emission testing system.
The PUC certificate was introduced to ensure that every vehicle complies with prescribed emission norms. In reality, however, the system has several loopholes. Some testing centres conduct only superficial checks, while others allegedly issue certificates without properly testing the vehicle. This defeats the very purpose of pollution control and allows highly polluting vehicles to continue operating legally.
The consequences are severe. Vehicular emissions are among the leading contributors to urban air pollution. Pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) affect public health, increasing cases of asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, heart ailments and other pollution-related illnesses. Children, senior citizens and people with existing medical conditions suffer the most.
Hyderabad has experienced rapid urbanisation and a sharp rise in vehicle ownership over the past two decades. Congested roads, frequent traffic jams and slow-moving vehicles further increase emissions. Old commercial vehicles, ageing auto-rickshaws, poorly maintained buses and smoke-emitting motorcycles collectively add to the city’s pollution burden.
The issue is not confined to Hyderabad alone. Across India, millions of older vehicles continue to remain in service despite stricter emission standards for new vehicles. While manufacturers invest heavily in cleaner technologies such as Bharat Stage VI engines, the environmental gains are undermined if highly polluting older vehicles remain unchecked.
The solution is not simply banning all old vehicles. Age alone does not determine pollution levels. A well-maintained older vehicle can emit less pollution than a poorly maintained newer one. Therefore, policy should focus on actual emissions rather than just the age of the vehicle.
India needs comprehensive reforms to strengthen the PUC system. Emission testing should be fully digitised and automated to minimise human intervention. Testing centres should be monitored through CCTV surveillance and linked to a central database to prevent fraudulent certification. Vehicles that repeatedly fail emission tests should face mandatory repairs before registration renewal.
Random roadside emission inspections should become more frequent, particularly for visibly smoke-emitting vehicles. Heavy penalties should be imposed on both vehicle owners and testing centres found issuing fraudulent PUC certificates. Repeat offenders should face suspension of vehicle registration and cancellation of testing centre licences.
Governments should also encourage voluntary scrapping of genuinely unfit vehicles by offering attractive incentives. Financial support for replacing older vehicles with cleaner, fuel-efficient or electric alternatives would reduce pollution while easing the burden on vehicle owners.
Public awareness is equally important. Many owners neglect regular servicing simply to save money, unaware that poor maintenance increases fuel consumption, repair costs and pollution. Routine servicing benefits both the owner and the environment.
Clean air is a shared responsibility. Strong laws, honest enforcement, reliable emission testing and responsible vehicle ownership must work together. A PUC certificate should represent genuine compliance, not merely a piece of paper obtained through shortcuts.
If India is serious about improving urban air quality and protecting public health, reforming the vehicle emission testing system and ensuring strict compliance should become a national priority. Cleaner roads today will lead to healthier cities and a better quality of life for future generations.
Old Vehicles, Fake PUC Certificates and India’s Growing Air Pollution Crisis
