LUCKNOW, April 26 -- Vehicle owners across Uttar Pradesh are facing difficulties in obtaining pollution under control (PUC) certificates after the transport department made OTP-based verification on registered mobile numbers mandatory, even for vehicles already fitted with high-security registration plates (HSRP). The number of such vehicles is 1000+.

According to officials and PUC operators, the new system sends a one-time password only to the mobile number recorded in the vehicle's registration certificate (RC). However, in a large number of older vehicles, these numbers are either outdated, inactive, or linked to previous owners, making it impossible for applicants to receive the OTP and complete the process.

For instance, Rajeev Sha...