Gurugram construction activity will be restricted for 16 days from 5 to 20 November after the district administration imposed a ban on dust-generating construction and demolition work as the city recorded its first ‘very poor’ air quality readings of the season. The order also asks government and private offices to limit physical attendance to 50%, with remaining employees working from home where possible.
Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh issued the directions on Tuesday in compliance with instructions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The construction restrictions cover highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, pipelines and other public infrastructure projects in Gurugram district.
The order exempts industrial units and essential services where the restrictions cannot be implemented. Construction and related work connected with railways, metro systems, airports, hospitals, water supply, sanitation and national security will also remain exempt, according to the report. The exemptions mean that the order targets dust-producing activity while allowing projects and services considered critical to transport, healthcare, utilities and public safety to continue.
The office attendance direction applies to the Haryana government and private offices, which have been asked to call no more than half of their employees to the workplace. Industrial establishments and essential services have been exempted where working from home is not feasible. The measure places Gurugram’s large office sector within the administration’s immediate pollution response, although the order does not indicate how employers must implement the arrangement beyond the attendance limit.
The restrictions come after Gurugram’s overall Air Quality Index reached 319, placing the city in the ‘very poor’ category for the first time this season. Among the city’s monitoring stations, TERI Gram recorded the highest AQI at 355, followed by Gwal Pahari at 340 and Sector 51 at 322. Vikas Sadan recorded an AQI of 257. Three of the city’s four monitoring stations therefore reported ‘very poor’ air quality, while the remaining station recorded air in the ‘poor’ range.
The readings highlight the uneven but widespread nature of the pollution episode across Gurugram. The highest values were recorded at TERI Gram and Gwal Pahari, while the lower reading at Vikas Sadan still remained above the threshold for moderate air quality. The district-wide order consequently covers construction and demolition activities beyond individual localities rather than limiting action to the worst-affected monitoring areas.
Sub-divisional magistrates and officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board have been directed to conduct daily inspections to ensure compliance. The administration said violations would invite action under the Commission for Air Quality Management Act, 2021. The current restrictions will remain in force through 20 November, with enforcement inspections serving as the next official step.
