Sikkim: Vehicle Owners Must Carry Pollution Certificate Or Pay Fine Upto Rs 10,000: Transport Secy

If issued a challan, then the vehicle owners will have to produce the PUC certificate within 15 days, else they will have to pay Rs10,000 fine

Despite the recent reduction in vehicle pollution fines from Rs 10,000 to Rs 500, the Sikkim government has now mandated that all vehicle owners must carry a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. A new circular issued by Sikkim Transport Secretary Manish Pradhan said.

The circular specifies that failing to present a valid PUC certificate will result in a fine of Rs 500. If a challan is issued, vehicle owners must present a valid PUC certificate within 15 days of receiving the challan.

“If they fail to do so, they will face an additional fine of Rs 10,000. Additionally, if a vehicle undergoes a pollution test at an authorized center and is found to exceed the emission limits, it will be impounded, and the owner will be fined Rs 10,000,” the circular states.

It is worth mentioning that Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang recently made several announcements for the welfare of drivers at a function celebrating Sarathi Samman Diwas at Manan Kendra.

In addition to announcing the reduction in the fine for not providing a PUC, the Chief Minister informed that the Sarathi Welfare Board will soon facilitate the issuance of insurance policies for all drivers. Drivers will need to submit the necessary documents to the Board to benefit from this policy.

The Chief Minister also urged drivers and the general public to download the Sikkim Cab App, which he said would revolutionize taxi booking through an online system and enhance earning opportunities for taxi drivers.

“We are in the process of establishing a new Reciprocal Transport Agreement with the West Bengal Government, which will increase the quota of taxi vehicles from Sikkim, benefiting our transport operators,” Chief Minister Tamang announced.

He also stated that only voter card holders from Sikkim would be permitted to drive luxury vehicles within the state.

Also Read: Sikkimese Filmmaker Tempo Bhutia’s Short Film “Bhok” Wins Best Indian Short Film Award at IIFF

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