70% of Vehicles Lack Complete Documents; 17 Crore Registrations at Risk

New Delhi: Out of 40.7 crore vehicles in India, around 70% are not in full compliance with regulatory requirements, with the majority being two-wheelers. The Union Government has proposed a system for state governments to gradually de-register vehicles whose documentation is incomplete. Under this plan, approximately 17 crore vehicles face the risk of having their registrations canceled.

The Ministry of Road Transport recently shared these figures with state governments and Union Territories, highlighting that many vehicles lack essential documents such as Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates, fitness certificates, or insurance. The ministry’s proposed system will allow vehicle owners a specific period to complete all required documentation. Vehicles failing to comply within the stipulated time will be gradually moved to a de-registered status.

Currently, only 8.2 crore vehicles are fully compliant and active, while over 30 crore vehicles have some documentation issues. Additionally, 2.2 crore vehicles are archived, representing older records.

Four Categories of Vehicles
The Ministry has classified vehicles into four categories:

1. Active-Compliant: Vehicles with complete documentation.
2. Active Non-Compliant: Vehicles with incomplete or invalid documents.
3. Temporary Archived: Vehicles that have repeatedly failed to meet regulatory requirements.
4. Permanent Archived: Vehicles whose registrations have been canceled, surrendered, or are defunct.

State-Wise Scenario
Among major states, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar have over 40% of their registered vehicles active but non-compliant. Telangana stands out as the only state with less than 20% of vehicles in this category. Meanwhile, Rajasthan, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka have more than 40% of vehicles classified as temporarily archived.

Proposed Rules
According to the proposal, owners of Active Non-Compliant vehicles must renew their fitness, PUC, and insurance certificates within one year. Failure to do so will move the vehicle to the Temporary Archived category. If compliance is not achieved within two years, the vehicle will be permanently archived.

Reactivation Requires Transport Commissioner Approval
Officials noted that reclassification will be automatic based on document renewals. Permanent Archived status is final, though exceptions can be made in cases of data errors, court orders, or other specific issues. Reactivation in such cases requires the approval of the Transport Commissioner. All updates and recoveries will be recorded digitally, enabling auditing and transparent reporting.