Karnataka-registered vehicles fined Rs 10,000 in other states as pollution data not linked to Vahan

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Karnataka-registered vehicles are being slapped with fines of up to Rs 10,000 in other states as the state government’s Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) database is not linked to the Centre’s Vahan (Parivahan) portal.

Karnataka maintains a separate portal for PUCCs - etc.karnataka.gov.in - which is not integrated with the national Vahan database. As a result, AI-powered traffic enforcement cameras in states such as Odisha and Goa are automatically generating e-challans, flagging vehicles as having ‘expired PUCC’, even when motorists hold valid certificates issued in Karnataka.

This has led to widespread inconvenience for Karnataka-registered vehicles travelling outside the state, with several motorists reporting fines of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 after automated systems detected alleged pollution violations.

Under the Motor Vehicles Act, penalty for driving without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is Rs 10,000.

According to motorists, the issue primarily affects vehicles older than one year, as AI-enabled cameras and e-detection systems in other states rely on the Parivahan database to verify PUCC validity. Since Karnataka’s PUCC data is not reflected on Parivahan, the system treats such vehicles as non-compliant.

Karnataka transport minister R Ramalinga Reddy told Moneycontrol that he would discuss the matter with the transport commissioner. “We will rectify it,” he said.

Karnataka transport secretary NV Prasad and transport commissioner A M Yogeesh were unavailable for comment.

Several residents have taken to social media platform X to highlight the issue. Ashis Baliyarsingh wrote that he was fined Rs 20,000 while driving from Bengaluru to Odisha despite having a valid Karnataka-issued PUCC. “I was driving with all valid documents, including a PUCC valid till December 2026, yet wrong challans were issued,” he said.

Similarly, Sameer Ranjan Bakshi said Odisha’s cameras do not recognise Karnataka PUCCs and are issuing e-challans to visiting motorists despite valid emission certificates.

Deepak Shenoy flagged a similar issue in Goa, stating that vehicles passing through Mollem were being issued automated challans of Rs 10,000 for missing PUC even when valid certificates were available. “The only way to resolve this is to physically visit the RTO before 2pm on a working day,” he said, calling the process cumbersome.

Other motorists reported multiple e-challans being issued at toll plazas in Odisha, with fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. Several said that despite raising grievances through official channels and sharing valid PUCC documents, responses have been slow or absent.

Motorists and activists have pointed out that the problem is not linked to the vehicle’s registration state but to the lack of integration between Karnataka’s PUCC system and the national Parivahan platform. The issue has also affected motorists seeking temporary permits in other states, as PUCC details fail to auto-populate on the Vahan portal.