Delhi has strengthened its ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ policy from today, October 1: vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate will not get fuel at petrol pumps, according to reports.

A PUC certificate shows a vehicle’s emissions are within legal limits. It is issued after an emission test at authorised centres and must be renewed periodically. Driving without one already invites fines under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Linking fuel supply to the certificate is meant to force compliance. Delhi battles severe air pollution every winter, and vehicular emissions are a major contributor. Enforcement at the pump closes a gap that roadside checks alone could not.

Vehicle owners in the capital should check their certificate’s validity before heading to a fuel station. PUC tests are quick and available at centres across the city.

The move is part of a wider set of October 1 rule changes, including stricter birth and death registration norms and new RBI and banking rules. For Delhi’s drivers, the message is simple: no valid PUC, no fuel.