Delhi Petrol Pump Owners Call for Revision of PUC Certificate Rates

Petrol pump owners have approached Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, requesting a meeting to discuss revising the rates for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in the capital. This request follows the recent shutdown of nearly 600 PUC centres at petrol pumps by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA), citing inadequate rate hikes.

The DPDA highlighted that the new PUC certificate charges for petrol, CNG, and diesel vehicles were increased on July 11 after 13 years. The hike ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 40. However, they argue that this increase does not cover operational costs.

Impact on Public Services

The DPDA noted that many PUC centres have been operating at a loss to avoid public inconvenience. Due to financial unviability, several centres have surrendered their licenses in recent months. "Sir, most of the PUC centres have operated the last few years in losses to avoid any inconvenience to the general public," they stated.

The association's Managing Committee decided to close PUC centres across Delhi from July 15 due to what they termed an arbitrary and insufficient hike. They pointed out that around 300 non-petrol pump PUC centres cannot meet even 10% of the certification needs in Delhi, significantly affecting the public.

Request for Rate Revision

The DPDA has requested a meeting with Gahlot to revisit and revise the PUC certification rates to prevent further inconvenience to Delhi's residents. "We would therefore request you to be so kind as to provide us time for a meeting so as to revisit and revise the rates offered for PUC certification in Delhi, so that the general public of Delhi is not inconvenienced," read their letter.

Gahlot had previously mentioned that the new rates would be effective once notified by the government. The DPDA pointed out that the last rate revision was in 2011 after six years, with a more than 70% increase. They stressed that while expenses for operating a PUC centre have surged multiple times since then, including a 300% rise in wages from 2011 to 2024, the current hike is only 35%.

The DPDA's letter underscores the need for a more substantial rate increase to cover rising operational costs and ensure continued service availability. They argue that without adequate rates, many centres will continue to close, causing significant inconvenience to vehicle owners needing PUC certificates.

The association's actions and requests highlight ongoing challenges faced by petrol pump owners in maintaining viable operations amidst rising costs and insufficient rate adjustments. The outcome of their meeting with Gahlot could determine future service availability and pricing for PUC certificates in Delhi.