Thiruvananthapuram: After a delay of nearly three years, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has initiated steps to upgrade pollution testing centres across the State as directed by the Union Government as part of emission control norms.

With this, the 500-odd pollution testing centres functioning in the State will have to upgrade the testing equipment. The directive comes in the wake of the notification issued by the Central Government on February 10, 2004, amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 115 revising the procedures.

Official sources told The Hindu that no time frame had been set to upgrade the testing centres. As per the new norms, the oil temperature and average RPM (revolutions per minute) would have to be measured before measuring actual smoke density for diesel vehicles. However, the maximum permitted smoke density had been fixed at the existing 65 Hatridge units.

In case the valid readings are not obtained within the prescribed limits, the testing of the vehicle would have to be discontinued and the testing authorities should ask the vehicle owner to resubmit the vehicle after repair.

The free acceleration test would have to be carried out after attaining oil temperature of minimum 60 degree Celsius, as per the notification of the State Transport Commissioner. Smoke density equipment can be upgraded by providing oil pressure gauge and gauge to mark the RPM to the unit.

Emission testing for petrol, CNG and LPG vehicles before Bharat Stage II can be tested after upgrading the existing two gas analysers. Bharat Stage III and above vehicles require four gas analyser to conduct the test. However, Bharat Stage II norms are in place in the State at present.

For two-wheelers and three-wheelers having two-stroke and four-stroke engines and manufactured on or before March 2000, the maximum emission had been fixed at 4.5 per cent carbon monoxide (CO) and 9,000 HC (n-hexane equivalent) PPM. In the case of two-wheelers and three-wheelers with two-stroke engines manufactured after March 31, 2000, maximum emission of CO had been fixed at 3.5 per cent and HC equivalent at 6,000.

For two-wheelers and three-wheelers with four-stroke engine and manufactured after March 31, 2000, the maximum CO emission had been fixed at 3.5 per cent and HC equivalent 4,500. The maximum CO emission for Bharat Stage II complaint four-wheelers would be 0.5 per cent and HC equivalent 750. In the case of four-wheelers other than Bharat Stage II compliant vehicles, the maximum CO emission would be 3 per cent and HC equivalent at 1,500.

The testing centres had also been asked to use only the original software supplied by the manufacturer.

They have also been asked to submit monthly report of all tested vehicles along with the test print out in original to the department.

As the testing centres would have to invest several lakhs for upgrading the equipment, the fee charged for issuing pollution under control (PUC) certificate is likely to go up.

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