Central government orders 16 day NCR construction demolition halt
To tackle Delhi's rising winter air pollution, the central government is putting a 16-day stop to all construction and demolition work in the NCR from November 5-20.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said authorities would take prompt action against industries that fail to meet pollution standards, major sources of emissions, and traffic congestion hotspots with the help of the new monitoring system.
This is just one part of a bigger anti-pollution push that kicked off on November 1.
Parking fees double, government hours staggered
Alongside the construction ban, there's a freeze on dust-heavy projects through January 31, parking fees are doubling to discourage driving, and office hours for government staff are being staggered to ease traffic jams.
Employers need to keep only half their staff in office through January. Plus, the GRAP restrictions will apply to vehicles without up-to-date pollution certificates or not meeting emission norms, all aimed at helping Delhi breathe easier this winter.