Cameras were scanning number plates. Automated warnings were playing at petrol pumps. PUC centres were open.
But enforcement officials were missing.
On the first day of Delhi's stricter "No PUC, No Fuel" drive, NDTV checked two petrol pumps - one in Janpath and another in Mayur Vihar Phase 1.
At both, the technology was working. But no Transport Department enforcement team was present when NDTV visited.
The Delhi government had promised "mission mode" enforcement at around 500 ANPR-equipped fuel stations.
Cameras On, But No Enforcement Teams
At Janpath on Thursday morning, announcements asking motorists to keep their pollution certificates valid were playing over the speakers.
ANPR cameras installed earlier were also in place.
Petrol pump staff, however, told NDTV that they had received no specific communication from the government for the day's enforcement.
There were no fresh boards announcing the October 1 drive at the time.
A PUC centre was available at the pump for motorists who needed to get their vehicles checked.
At Mayur Vihar Phase 1, the automated system was already at work.
The cameras were linked to the Parivahan vehicle database, and announcements were being made as vehicles entered the petrol pump.
Here too, no enforcement officials were present.
With Transport Department officials absent, petrol pump staff are left to refuse fuel to vehicles that do not meet the PUC requirement - something dealers say can often lead to arguments with motorists.
Bibek Banerjee, General Secretary of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, told NDTV that dealers had been implementing the campaign for months but had not received fresh communication from the government.
"There has neither been any communication from the Delhi government on its implementation nor have we seen any enforcement team at our retail outlets."
Mr Banerjee said dealers support the drive and see it as a useful measure to curb pollution when backed by government enforcement.
He also said PUC centres saw an increase in footfall on Thursday.
Another dealer told NDTV that officials should be present at petrol pumps to enforce the rule.
"Enforcement should be in the hands of government officials... This avoids fights between customers and delivery boys at the pumps."
Government Says: No PUC, No Fuel
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told NDTV that vehicles without a valid pollution certificate would not be given fuel.
"At more than 500 petrol pumps across Delhi, if you do not have a valid pollution certificate, you will not get fuel."
Mr Sirsa also warned that vehicles which have crossed their legally permitted age limit could be impounded.
He appealed to motorists to ensure their pollution certificates were valid and said the rule, which had been implemented earlier as well, would be enforced more strictly this time.
Delhi Transport Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh also urged motorists to get their PUC certificates in order.
"If they do not have a PUC certificate, they will not get fuel and, indeed, they are not getting it."
He said the Transport Department would take specific action to ensure vehicles without a valid PUC were not given petrol or diesel.
The government has promised stricter enforcement. But at the two petrol pumps NDTV checked, no Transport Department enforcement officials were present.
What Delhi Residents Saw
Residents NDTV spoke to broadly supported the rule, while flagging problems they said they saw on the first day.
Delhi resident Aman Dubey called linking fuel to a valid PUC a "strong and necessary step", but said there were teething issues.
"Long queues piled up at petrol pump PUC centres, cameras had trouble reading some plates, and there were delays where people got their test done on the spot but the central system took hours to update."
He said traffic marshals could be deployed at busy pumps and online systems should be able to handle the increased demand.
Dubey also said some motorists continued to argue with pump staff despite being aware of the rule.
Another Delhi resident, Anand Goel, backed the government's move but said the checking he saw was not as strict as expected.
"When I visited the petrol pump, I did not see the level of checking that should ideally be there."
Goel said additional staff may be needed at petrol pumps during the initial days so that PUC checks do not slow down regular refuelling.
Why October 1 Matters
The October 1 restriction is part of a wider Delhi-NCR push to check vehicular pollution.
The Commission for Air Quality Management issued directions on May 15, 2026, imposing restrictions on fuelling vehicles without a valid PUCC across the National Capital Region.
In Delhi, the campaign covers around 500 fuel stations equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems.
The cameras allow vehicle registration numbers to be checked against government records when a vehicle enters a petrol pump.
At the two stations NDTV visited on Day 1, that digital system was functioning.
What was not visible at either location was the on-ground enforcement presence dealers say is needed when a vehicle has to be denied fuel.
