Bhubaneswar: The State Transport Authority (STA), Odisha, has proposed a new rule under which the registration certificate (RC) of vehicles without valid pollution and insurance documents will be cancelled. The move is expected to impact nearly eight lakh vehicles across the state.

According to the new framework, vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) or insurance will face automatic action through the VAHAN portal. If such vehicles are found plying on roads, owners may also have to pay hefty fines.

The transport department has introduced a classification system to track compliance. Vehicles will be divided into four categories: permanent archive, temporary archive, active non-compliant, and active compliant.

Non-commercial vehicles less than 15 years old that have not renewed PUCC or insurance for up to two years will be marked as “active non-compliant.” These vehicles will be considered operational but lacking the required documents. If the lapse extends beyond two years but is less than three years, the vehicle will be moved to the “temporary archive” category, meaning it will be treated as temporarily unfit for road use. Once documents are updated, such vehicles can return to the “active compliant” category.

However, vehicles without PUCC or insurance for more than three years will be placed under the “permanent archive” category. In such cases, the RC will be cancelled, and the vehicles will be considered permanently unfit for road use.

Vehicle owners can apply for the restoration of their RC through the Regional Transport Office (RTO) or the Transport Commissioner. Upon approval, the vehicle will first be shifted to the temporary archive category and later restored to active compliant status after fulfilling all requirements.

For vehicles older than 15 years, failure to renew PUCC and insurance for more than two years will lead to permanent archiving. In the case of commercial vehicles, similar classification rules will apply, with provisions for temporary archive and active non-compliant categories.

Earlier, there was no system to cancel RC for lack of PUCC or insurance. The new mechanism aims to improve the monitoring of vehicle fitness and compliance. It will also help authorities in planning transport infrastructure more effectively.

The move is also expected to address issues arising from uninsured vehicles involved in accidents, where victims often fail to receive compensation.