Delhi bans construction from December 10 to January 20
What's the story
The Delhi government has announced a complete ban on construction activities from December 10 to January 20. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision is part of efforts to tackle worsening air pollution during the winter months. "Construction will be completely banned from 10 December to 20 January. If you spot any violation, inform MCD, your MLA, or me directly," she wrote in a post on X.
Surveillance measures
Monitoring through dust portal
Gupta said construction sites over 500 square meters would be monitored through the Delhi government's Dust Portal and AI-enabled cameras.
She urged people to report any violations to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), their local MLA, or directly to her.
"Last time, even under GRAP, some construction continued behind covers," she said referring to the previous winter when work continued despite restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Advanced technology
Dust Portal 2.0 to monitor compliance
The Dust Portal 2.0, launched in July by the Delhi government, will be used to monitor construction sites this year.
Developed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, it uses GIS mapping and AI-based analytics to monitor compliance at sites 500 square yards or more.
The system generates yellow, orange and red alerts based on pollution levels and allows for digital issuance of compliance certificates when violations are detected.
Pollution management
Upgraded platform provides district-wise dashboards
The upgraded platform of Dust Portal 2.0 also provides district-wise dashboards, pollution trend analysis, and hotspot mapping.
Officials and project proponents can remotely monitor locations via live camera feeds, sensor readings, and AI-generated analysis.
Gupta urged citizens to "inform, tag, complain and stop them" if they spot any violations during this period.