The Delhi Government has notified a permanent winter anti-pollution framework under which 50 per cent of employees in both Government and private offices will work from home every year from November 1 to January 31. The notification, issued on Wednesday, forms part of a long-term winter pollution strategy intended to curb vehicular emissions and address the Capital's recurring smog crisis, according to news agency ANI.
Private offices have also been instructed to implement staggered office timings, enforce work-from-home arrangements and encourage employees to use carpooling, ride-sharing, public buses and other public transport options in an effort to cut down the number of vehicles on the roads.
A press release from the Department of Environment and Forest said the policy introduces a permanent regulatory framework that will automatically take effect every year from November 1 to February 28, removing the requirement for fresh annual notifications.
The notified measures focus on reducing emissions from vehicles, controlling dust pollution and preventing the open burning of waste.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the new framework brings together multiple existing directives into a unified and stricter system, making compliance simpler for departments, institutions and residents while strengthening enforcement, the report said.
The Chief Minister said air pollution in Delhi worsens sharply during the winter months. Records from recent years indicate that pollution levels consistently increase between November and February. Keeping this challenge in view, the Delhi Government has now put in place a permanent mechanism so that there will no longer be any need to issue separate orders every year and all agencies can take timely action under a predefined set of rules. She said the notification is based on a detailed study of experience and air quality data.
Data covering the winters of 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 showed Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) between November 1 and February 15 remained between 312 and 342, while peak AQI levels ranged from 461 to 494.
Drawing on those findings, the Government has granted permanent status to its special winter pollution-control measures. The notification also incorporates the revised GRAP issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) along with directions issued by the Supreme Court.
Chief Minister Gupta said year-round restrictions on vehicular pollution will now require every vehicle refuelling at petrol, diesel, CNG and LPG stations across Delhi to possess a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. Vehicles found obtaining fuel without a valid PUC certificate will face action. Compliance will be verified not only through physical certificates but also via the NPR, vehicle database and other electronic systems.
Implementation of this mechanism will be overseen by oil companies, Indraprastha Gas Limited, the Department of Food and Supplies, the Transport Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Traffic Police.
The Chief Minister also announced that from November 1 to January 31 each year, motor vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI emission standards will not be allowed to enter or operate within the city.
The restriction will not apply to CNG and electric vehicles, ambulances, fire brigade vehicles, police vehicles or categories specifically exempted by the Environment Department.
Responsibility for enforcing the restrictions has been assigned to the Transport Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Traffic Police.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said authorised parking facilities across Delhi will charge double parking fees between November 1 and February 28 to encourage commuters to shift from private vehicles to public transport.
Parking facilities managed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which support public transport and park-and-ride services, will remain exempt from the revised charges.
To spread traffic demand during peak hours, Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices will operate from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, while Delhi Government offices will function from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM during the same period so that employees do not commute at the same time and traffic pressure is reduced.
Chief Minister Gupta said construction-related dust is among the principal contributors to Delhi's winter pollution. In response, the Government has introduced binding provisions governing construction activity, transportation of construction material and dust-control practices at large buildings.
She said the Government is not in favour of halting development, but maintaining a balance between development and environmental protection is equally important. With this approach, the rules have been designed to ensure that essential projects continue while pollution remains under effective control.
Under the new rules, demolition work and open civil construction activities that generate dust will be prohibited every year from November 1 to January 31. Essential public infrastructure projects will remain exempt. Finishing work, plumbing, electrical installations and similar activities within construction sites will still be allowed, provided all provisions of the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules and dust-control norms are strictly followed.
The notification also bans the dumping or storage of construction and demolition waste in the open outside project sites, with violations attracting penal action against the responsible agency or individual.
Chief Minister Gupta further said additional restrictions will apply during the period from December 10 to January 20, identified as the most pollution-sensitive phase of winter.
During this period, only Government projects considered indispensable for public utility or emergency purposes will be permitted to continue. Vehicles transporting construction materials, including sand, gravel, stone, bricks, cement, ready-mix concrete, debris or any other construction material, will not be allowed to enter Delhi.
The Chief Minister said the Government has, for the first time, introduced mandatory dust-control requirements for large commercial buildings. All commercial buildings with a built-up area exceeding 3,000 square metres, including malls, hotels, office buildings and other institutional buildings with a height of G 5 or above, must install anti-smog guns or mist systems within their premises.
The installations are required to be completed by August 15. While the systems must remain installed throughout the year, their operation will not be mandatory between May 1 and September 15, covering the monsoon and peak summer months.
Chief Minister Gupta said the provisions extend to both completed and ongoing projects. Construction sites spread across more than 1,000 square metres will also be required to install mist systems to suppress dust during construction.
Monitoring and enforcement of these requirements will be carried out by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
The Chief Minister said every Resident Welfare Association (RWA), housing society, Government and private institution, contractor, agency and all organisations employing staff for security, sanitation, gardening, housekeeping, maintenance or similar services will be responsible for ensuring that no open burning takes place within their premises or in areas under their ownership, possession, management or control. They will be required to establish an effective monitoring mechanism and, wherever necessary, provide adequate heating arrangements for workers through electricity or other approved clean fuels.
If open burning occurs because of negligence or inadequate supervision by any institution, both the institution and the individuals responsible will face action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and other applicable laws. Environmental compensation will also be recovered.
The Revenue Department, DPCC and local bodies will oversee implementation and monitoring of the rules. Drone-based surveillance, particularly during night hours, will be deployed to identify incidents of open burning. The permanent framework will automatically take effect every year from November 1 and remain operational until February 28.
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