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The Delhi government has rolled out its pre-winter playbook for one of the capital's most reliable annual traditions: the smog. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Monday that dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction will be off the table from November 1 to January 31. From December 10 to January 20, it gets stricter, with a complete ban on construction and demolition.
The two bans
- November 1 to January 31: Dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction are off the table.
- December 10 to January 20: A complete ban on construction and demolition. During this period, trucks carrying sand, cement, bricks or debris are also barred from entering the city.
Interior finishing, plumbing and electrical work can carry on if dust-control norms are followed.
The rest of the plan: Doubled parking charges, 50% WFH
The Winter Pollution Master Plan, overall, is set to kick in automatically every November 1 and runs till February 28. Petrol pumps, CNG stations and LPG outlets can turn away vehicles without a valid PUC certificate, so that crumpled paper is now your most important document.
Parking charges will also double from November 1, so you might want to consider ditching your car for public transport or even longer walks while you can in this weather. Office timings will be staggered, and 50 per cent work from home (read: your bed) is on the cards for private and public offices.
Meanwhile, drones will be watching, especially at night, so think twice before getting that extra floor built. Private offices are being nudged towards staggered hours, WFH, carpooling and public transport.
The government says the numbers explain the fuss. Delhi's average AQI from November 1 to February 15 over the last three winters sat between 312 and 342, with peaks of 461 to 494. If the Commission for Air Quality Management brings in stricter GRAP measures, those will override the plan.