Choking smogs are expected in Delhi this winter, with the Delhi government announcing a series of measures several weeks before the season in which air quality tends to take a turn for the worse in the national capital.
In the revised ordinance, parking fees will go up by 50%, beginning on Nov. 1. The government has also declared work from home for all government offices and private offices with 50% of the total employees predicted to work from home during the winter season.
The measures will stay in force from 1st November 2027 until 28th February 2027. Also during this time, the offices will be working on staggered hours. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices will be working from 8:30 am to 5 pm and Delhi government offices will be functional from 10 am to 6:30 pm.
Restrictions will also be in place on construction and demolition activity that creates dust during the designated winter months. The measures may be part of a package of controls to deal with other sources of pollution such as traffic emissions, road dust and construction-related pollution.
The government has been preparing the framework ahead of time, rather than just relying on emergency measures upon high levels of pollution. The plan includes vehicle and pollution-control certificate restrictions, too. The government previously said that the same restriction will apply to an owner who doesn’t have a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate for their vehicle, including their ability to purchase fuel.
Several measures in Delhi were implemented to combat winter pollution and reduce effects of air pollution over the years. One of the most noticeable was the odd-even vehicle policy, where private vehicles with odd and even registration numbers would be curtailed to alternate days.
The new framework aims to cut down on driving, minimise dust-generating activities, and cut down on the number of staff travelling to offices during the winter. These measures will be used in addition to other pollution control measures such as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) where appropriate.