LAHORE: An uphill task for the motorists in the city these days is getting the vehicles (mainly light transport vehicles) checked and passed by the Emission Testing System (ETS) — a free-of-cost service being provided by the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department.

Though 20 centres (each having three squads as claimed by the department) have been operational in Lahore for the last 44 days, most motorists use to return home without testing after hours-long wait in long queues at the ETS centres across the provincial metropolis.

“I have been visiting this centre for the last three days and used to wait for hours in long queues, but remained fail to get my car tested by the ETS machine. At 5pm, they (the officials) stop work, telling us to come tomorrow. It is terrible to wait in the hot weather,” deplores a motorist at a long queue near Emporium Mall in Johar Town.

“The officials are very slow, taking five to six minutes on testing of each vehicle. It means they are testing 144 vehicles if the service is being provided non-stop. But the number of vehicles coming here is 200 to 300,” he said, requesting the government to increase number of testing squads at the centre.

Govt plans ETS expansion; Rs400 paid testing at dealerships from July

However, the department sees these issues as a matter of neglecting/casual behaviour on the part of the people towards proper maintenance and fitness of their vehicles. It further says that the people can also avail service by paying Rs500 fee at three centres owned and operated by the transport department in Lahore.

“It is not a matter of service but the behaviour of the people who never bother to get their vehicles tested by paying a small official fee/amount. But since the service we are providing is free of cost, they throng the centres in huge numbers,” comments department’s secretary Raja Jahangir Anwar.

“Our teams are working without taking breaks in a bid to facilitate more and more people,” he added. Each centre, according to the department, has three squads testing vehicles in three lanes. However, it was observed that a couple of centres have no adequate field force to test a large number of vehicles.

“At this [Emporium] centre, only one team is deputed, which is insufficient to check vehicles coming within Johar Town and several adjoining localities. Here, the department must depute three teams,” said Mr Hammad, a field assistant, while checking the vehicles at Emporium Mall booth.

Answering the motorists’ complaints related to slow work, he said the ETS machine needs two minutes after each testing to release the deposited emissions of the vehicle it tested earlier.

“That is why a test takes five minutes,” he clarified.

Secretary Jahangir Anwar said the free-of-cost ETS services have been launched in Lahore alone, and soon these would be expanded to other districts.

He said the vehicle inspection and certification system has been operational in Lahore for the last 11 years, but no one took it seriously.

“At present, we have 60 to 70 ETS machines, and soon the number will increase to 100 or so. So far we have tested 100,000 vehicles in Lahore,” he claimed.

To a question, he said the department has no plan to deny entry of non-stickered (ETS tested/verified) vehicles on road, as it would be done after getting maximum number of vehicles tested under ETS.

To another question, he said since the free service would be ending on June 30, the department plans to outsource the ETS-related services to dealerships of all car/vehicle manufacturing companies in Lahore.

“All these premises will have the ETS machines and trained staff to provide service on the payment of Rs400 for each vehicle. In this way, we can get maximum vehicles tested,” he maintained.

Mr Anwar warned that a crackdown on heavy transport vehicles would soon be launched in Lahore since most of such vehicles are causing pollution in Lahore.

“Around 15,000 heavy vehicles enter Lahore daily through 28 entry points. After July 1, our team will camp at eight major entry points to check heavy vehicles and impound those having no fitness certificate,” he warned, adding that from next year the government would launch a massive drive against all those having no vehicle fitness certificates.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2025