In order to deal with the rush of vehicles to pollution checking centres for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate across Delhi after the implementation of new Motor Vehicle Act, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday announced several remedial measures.

The decision was taken after the Transport Department witnessed a threefold increase in the number of applications for PUC certificate from 15,000 to 45,000 a day. Gahlot said there are 70 lakh vehicles on roads in Delhi.

The Transport Department has asked all 941 pollution checking centres to function from 7am to 10pm. Besides, and server capacity has been increased nearly twice to deal with 6,000 online applications per hour.

“The Delhi Government has decided to open more pollution checking centres and new applications are invited. An advertisement in this respect will be floated tomorrow. Transport terminals and depots to provide pollution checking services. In centres with huge rush, civil defense volunteers will be deployed for crowd management to prevent law and order issues,” the Delhi Government’s transport department said in a statement.

The Delhi Government on Friday suspended two pollution checking centres for malpractices.

On diluting the penalties of offences under the MV Act 2019, the Transport Minister said, “Though the State Governments have certain discretionary powers to ease the penalties with respect to certain offences as per the new MV Act, as of now Delhi Government is not mulling to dilute them since the stringent measures are meant to ensure road safety. Road safety is a major concern in Delhi and the Delhi Government is very serious about it.”

Gahlot said, “We are closely observing the initiatives by other States and consulting various stakeholders. At any stage, if the Delhi Government is convinced to reduce the fine for certain offences, we shall do the needful.”