PUC centres in Pune warn of a strike if rates aren’t revised — motorists could face higher charges or struggle without valid certificates. | Image: PuneriPages.in
By Prashant for PuneriPages.in
If you own a vehicle in Pune, here’s some news that might pinch your pocket. Very soon, you could be paying more for your Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate — that little slip which keeps you on the right side of the law while also checking your vehicle’s emissions.
The reason? PUC centre owners across Maharashtra say they’ve had enough. The rates they are forced to work with haven’t been revised since 2011. Thirteen long years later, with rents, salaries, electricity, and maintenance costs shooting up, they claim it’s simply impossible to run their centres without a hike. And now they’ve issued an ultimatum — revise the rates or face a state-wide strike.
In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad alone, nearly 400 centres will be directly impacted. Statewide, the number crosses 3,500, which means lakhs of motorists could be left scrambling if these centres shut shop.
Table of Contents
PUC Certificate Pune: The Demand in Numbers
Here’s what the PUC operators want:
- Two-Wheelers: from ₹50 → ₹80
- Three-Wheelers (Petrol): from ₹90 → ₹150
- Four-Wheelers (Petrol): from ₹125 → ₹200
- Diesel Vehicles: from ₹150 → ₹250
For most of us, that means an extra ₹30 to ₹100 on the next certificate.
Why They’re Pushing Back Now
The operators insist this isn’t about greed, but about survival. One centre owner told me: “We’re running 2025 operations on 2011 rates. Forget profits, it’s hard to even cover electricity bills or machine servicing now. If things don’t change, centres will shut down on their own.”
Their math isn’t hard to understand. Over the past decade-plus, commercial rents in Pune have doubled (in some areas even tripled), staff salaries are higher, and consumables like printer ribbons and filter papers cost way more than before. Yet, their charges are frozen in time.
The Warning
The Maharashtra PUC Owners’ Association has clearly said — if the state transport department doesn’t act soon, all centres will down shutters.
Adding strength to their protest, the Petrol Dealers Association has also extended support. That means this is no empty threat — the strike could really happen.
PUC Certificate Pune: What It Means for Motorists
For Pune’s citizens, this isn’t just another trade agitation. The fallout would be real and immediate:
- No Certificates: Without PUC centres, you simply can’t renew your slip.
- Hefty Fines: Driving without one is illegal, and cops won’t hesitate to issue challans.
- Pollution Worries: Without checks, smoke-belching vehicles will go unchecked, hurting the city’s already fragile air quality.
In short, if centres close, both motorists and the environment lose.
So, What’s Next?
Right now, it’s a standoff. The ball is in the government’s court. Either they revise the rates and avoid a strike, or brace for chaos on Pune’s roads.
For us motorists, it’s a waiting game — whether we’ll pay a little more on the next certificate, or struggle without one at all.
One thing’s certain though: this fight over a slip of paper could very soon affect every vehicle owner in the city.
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