Delhi considers revamp of PUC certificate system amid pollution concerns

The Delhi government is examining a revamp of its Pollution Under Control certificate mechanism, citing structural weaknesses and outdated infrastructure at existing testing centers, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Dec 17.

Sirsa said several PUC centers currently in operation have significant shortcomings, prompting the government to consider reforms to improve efficiency and reliability. He added that a third-party monitoring system would be introduced as part of the overhaul.

The minister also said the government is developing measures to address traffic congestion and vehicular emissions, including a carpooling application and an integrated traffic management system.

On the proposed app, Sirsa said, “We are also trying for a carpooling app for Delhi. There is no system in place right now for car pooling. We are trying to make a carpooling app for Delhi. There will be options for people to use their cars for carpooling or to travel via carpooling.”

As part of broader traffic planning, the Delhi government is looking to collaborate with mapping and navigation platforms.

“Today, we have a meeting with Google Maps to identify major traffic hotspots using the data available with them,” Sirsa said, adding that a tie-up with Map India is also being planned.

Separately, Sirsa announced that the Delhi government has signed a memorandum of understanding with IIT Madras to identify smog-eating surfaces as part of its pollution control strategy.

The collaboration follows remarks made by the minister in September, when he said his department would carry out a technology-backed study on titanium oxide-based photocatalytic coatings that can be applied to roads to strengthen Delhi’s air protection efforts.

He had said the technology can help reduce nitrogen dioxide and harmful hydrocarbons in areas where people live, commute, and work, and noted that while it has been used in some cities abroad, it has not yet been deployed in India.