​​Delhi winter pollution plan: Parking charges to double, 50% work from home, construction ban from Nov 1

September 29, 2026

NEW DELHI – The Delhi government on Monday announced its winter pollution plan for the national capital, introducing restrictions on construction and demolition activities, staggered office timings and work-from-home arrangements ahead of the winter season

According to the Economic Times, the measures will be implemented in phases from November 1, with the government aiming to reduce vehicular pollution, dust and emissions during the winter months, when air quality in Delhi generally deteriorates.Parking Charges To Double From November 1

Under the plan, parking charges at authorised parking sites will be doubled from November 1, 2026, to February 28, 2027, to discourage the use of private vehicles. Parking spaces owned and managed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be excluded from the revised rates

The government will also introduce staggered office timings during the same period. Offices under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will function from 8:30 am to 5 pm, while offices under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) will operate from 10 am to 6:30 pm

Government and private offices will also be asked to reduce their physical workforce by 50%. Half of the employees will work from home, while the remaining 50% will work from offices between November 1 and February 28

Construction Activities To Face Restrictions

The Delhi government will ban dust-generating demolition work and outdoor civil construction activities from November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027

The restrictions will become stricter from December 10, when a complete ban on construction and demolition activities will come into effect. The ban will remain in place until January 20, 2027, according to the government

The phased restrictions are aimed at controlling dust emissions and other pollution reater pressure.PUC Enforcement Drive From October 1

The Delhi government will launch an enforcement drive against vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates from October 1. Officials said vehicles found without a valid PUC certificate can face a fine of Rs 10,000 under existing provisions

“We want to ensure that every person in Delhi gets clean air to breathe. This enforcement will be done to check whether the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates are valid. Delhi government is working round the year to reduce air pollution; this is one step towards that,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said

Gupta said the system of PUC centres in Delhi would also be made more effective and reliable

Delhi recorded the highest annual mean PM2.5 concentration among 33 states and Union territories at 101 micrograms per cubic metre, according to a satellite-based analysis. The level was 2.5 times India’s national standard and 20 times the World Health Organization’s guideline

The analysis by independent research organisation Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air covered the period from March 2024 to February 2025. Chandigarh recorded the second-highest annual average PM2.5 concentration at 70 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Haryana at 63 and Tripura at 62

Assam recorded an annual average of 60 micrograms per cubic metre, Bihar 59, West Bengal 57, Punjab 56, Meghalaya 53 and Nagaland 52. All these states exceeded the national annual PM2.5 standard

Overall, 447 of the 749 districts analysed, or 60 per cent, breached the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for annual PM2.5, which is set at 40 micrograms per cubic metre

Source: asianews.network