Delhi-NCR will suspend dust-generating construction and demolition activities from November 5 to 20, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on October 30, as air quality in the region deteriorated to poor and very poor levels ahead of Deepavali and the winter pollution season.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) is expected to issue a formal order on October 30. The restrictions will apply to outdoor civil construction and demolition activities, with exemptions for projects of national importance, Mr. Yadav said. The measure will operate while Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan remains in force.
The temporary construction ban is intended to reduce dust emissions during what the Minister described as the peak period for air pollution. The announcement comes as agencies across Delhi and neighbouring States continue implementing measures aimed at controlling pollution from vehicles, construction dust and crop-residue burning.
A senior official cited by The Hindu said the timing was linked to Deepavali, which falls on November 8, and the expected increase in pollution from firecrackers. Stubble burning in the region is also expected to rise around the same period as harvesting progresses, the official said.
The CAQM has directed States to strengthen inspection and compliance-monitoring mechanisms across the National Capital Region. It has also asked authorities to focus on vehicular pollution and stubble burning. The effectiveness of the construction restrictions will therefore depend on enforcement at work sites as well as action against other major pollution sources.
The decision adds a region-wide restriction to measures already notified by the Delhi government. In a gazette notification issued in June, the Delhi government banned dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction activity in the capital from November 1 to January 31, with exemptions for essential public infrastructure projects. The notification also made work from home mandatory for 50% of government and private office staff in Delhi during the same period, subject to exemptions.
The CAQM is expected to separately order 50% work from home for government and private offices in the high vehicle-density districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. The proposed measure would extend the traffic-reduction strategy beyond Delhi and target office-related travel in districts that contribute significantly to regional vehicle movement.
The temporary halt will affect construction schedules, demolition work, contractors and workers across the NCR, although the supplied report does not specify the number of projects or workers covered. The formal CAQM order is expected to set out the detailed exemptions, enforcement responsibilities and compliance requirements for the November 5-20 period.
