New Delhi: The Union environment ministry on Monday said a set of measures to combat pollution in the coming winter in the national capital has been finalised, which includes staggered office timings, restrictions on vehicular and industrial emissions and curbs on dust-generating construction and demolition activities.
The development came during a meeting held on Monday, chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, to review Delhi’s air pollution mitigation action plan. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and others Delhi ministers attended the meeting.
“The strategy with targeted action points would intensify action on vehicular emissions, road and construction dust, waste and biomass burning, industrial emissions, public transport, greening, and pollution and traffic hotspots,” said a Union Environment Ministry official.
Under the plan, public representatives would undertake regular field visits of Delhi’s traffic hotspots with officials, RWAs, traders, and traffic police.
So far, 42 hotspots have been rectified, with eight more targeted in October. In consultation with Delhi Traffic Police, one-way traffic and decongestion trials would be undertaken at hotspots.
For dust mitigation, end-to-end paving of footpaths will be done with focus on walkability. The plan also involves accelerating road redevelopment.
The government had targeted the redevelopment of 3,065 km of roads in 2026, of which 1,193 km have been completed.
Moreover, there would be a ban on dust-generating demolition activity and outdoor civil construction activity from November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, with a complete ban on construction and demolition activities from December 10, 2026, to January 20, 2027.
There will also be restrictions on entry of all vehicles registered outside Delhi and below BS-VI emission standards, except CNG and EV vehicles, with effect from November 1, 2026.
To tackle industrial pollution, a “decision was taken to strengthen industrial enforcement, operationalise an AI-enabled command and control centre, increase monitoring stations from 47 to 60, and deploy 334 enforcement teams to enforce strict action against non-conforming polluting industries,” the official said.
