Pollution test chaos: New software glitches leave vehicle owners frustrated

The Union Government had updated the Pollution Under Control (PUC) application but the revised system has caused repeated disruptions. The updated software used for vehicle emission testing has created technical difficulties, leaving many vehicles unable to complete the test over the past three days.

The new software requires linking the vehicle owner’s Aadhaar number and Registration Certificate (RC) book with their mobile phone. Several motorists were turned away because the names on their Aadhaar and RC documents did not match exactly.

Where the names are identical and the software finds a match, the mobile number can be entered at the testing centre itself, allowing the linking process to be completed on the spot. However, most vehicle owners report receiving an error message stating that the details on the two documents do not match.

Another verification method involves receiving an OTP on the linked mobile number, but this has also posed problems. Many vehicle owners live abroad, and OTPs do not reach their foreign numbers. Some school vehicles faced similar difficulties: when purchased, the phone number entered in the RC book may have belonged to the then principal, headteacher or another staff member, who may no longer be working at the school. Their phone numbers are now unreachable.

If the phone number does not match, or if there is any discrepancy in the names, vehicle owners must now apply to the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) to have the records corrected before they can obtain a pollution certificate.

Taxi drivers hit hardest

Taxi operators have been particularly affected by the updated software. A valid PUC certificate is mandatory for securing fitness clearance, and many taxis whose fitness certificates were about to expire were forced to return without the required documents over the past two days. As a result, these vehicles cannot ply on the road the following day, leaving operators unable to work.