CAQM orders construction ban and 50 per cent work-from-home in Delhi-NCR
The Commission for Air Quality Management has issued preventive measures to control air pollution from November 5 to 20.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has ordered a halt to outdoor construction and dust-producing demolition activities across the National Capital Region from November 5 to November 20. The Commission also directed government and private offices in Delhi and five adjoining districts to allow up to 50 per cent of staff to work from home during this period.
The work-from-home directive applies to the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Industrial establishments and essential services where such arrangements are not feasible are exempt from this rule.
Under the order, restrictions will cover linear public infrastructure such as highways, roads, flyovers, power transmission lines, pipelines, and telecommunications. However, the CAQM has exempted projects related to railways, metro services, airports, hospitals, water supply, sanitation, national security, defence, and other projects of national importance.
The Commission stated that the measures are preventive, citing historical data from 2018 to 2025 that shows elevated pollution levels in the region during early to mid-November. The order noted that local emissions, biomass burning, and seasonal agricultural residue contribute to the pollution load.
The CAQM issued these directions under Section 12 of the CAQM Act, 2021. The measures aim to reduce emission loads at the source and minimise pollutant accumulation ahead of seasonal deterioration in air quality.