Bhubaneswar, Dec 25: Nearly 30 lakh vehicles in Odisha are operating without pollution certificates, with two-wheelers making up the majority of those lacking the necessary certifications. Despite this, many of these vehicles have continued to run year after year without facing any issues. Around 90% of two-wheelers in the state are without a valid pollution certificate, creating significant concerns about air quality and compliance.

The state currently has only 600 registered pollution testing centers, many of which are facing technical difficulties and are unable to issue certificates. This has raised questions about how the state will manage to issue certificates for over 30 lakh vehicles in a short period.

Sources from the state transport department report that Odisha has nearly a crore (10 million) registered vehicles, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and larger vehicles. However, around 25 lakh vehicles have already been phased out, leaving approximately 75 lakh still on the roads, with two-wheelers forming the largest segment.

While vehicles are required to renew their pollution certificates periodically, a large number of two-wheeler owners have failed to do so, with nearly 90% of them lacking valid pollution certificates. This alarming situation prompted the state transport department to announce that, starting from January 1st, petrol and diesel would not be available for vehicles without a valid pollution certificate. However, following public protests and widespread concerns, the department has decided to delay this rule until February 1st.

As a result, vehicles will still be able to purchase fuel in January without a pollution certificate. Odisha's Transport Minister, Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, confirmed that the rule will now come into effect on February 1st. This decision has temporarily relieved vehicle owners who were worried about the upcoming restrictions.