Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced a Winter Action Plan to combat air pollution in the national capital, with the measures set to remain in force from November 1 to February 28.
The government has also announced several measures to discourage private vehicle use and reduce pollution, including doubling parking charges at authorised parking sites, staggered office timings and a 50% work-from-home mandate for government and private offices.
The government will promote cleaner mobility through electric buses, expanded Metro connectivity, improved last-mile transport and carpooling to reduce dependence on private vehicles and help bring down vehicular emissions. Vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates will not be able to buy fuel, while vehicles registered outside the capital that fail to meet BS-VI emission standards will face entry restrictions. It also calls for half the workforce in government and private offices to work from home, stricter controls on construction activity and the use of artificial intelligence-enabled cameras to monitor construction sites for dust.
To ease traffic congestion and curb vehicular emissions, offices under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will operate from 8:30 am to 5 pm, while offices under the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) will function from 10 am to 6:30 pm. The revised timings will remain in effect from November 1 to February 28. The Delhi government has directed government and private offices to ensure that 50% of their workforce works from home during the period, with the remaining half attending office. The measure will be in effect from November 1 to February 28. Earlier reporting noted: No PUC, no fuel, 50% WFH: Delhi’s Winter Action Plan kicks in from Nov 1 – details New Delhi: Delhi residents will face tighter pollution-control rules from November 1, when the state government rolls out its winter action plan. Earlier reporting noted: Announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday (October 20), the restrictions will be in place till February 28.
Earlier reporting noted: The government is also seeking to reduce use of private vehicles by promoting electric buses, increasing metro services, improving last-mile connectivity and encouraging carpooling.
