Delhi-NCR offices to allow 50 per cent work from home from November 5
The Commission for Air Quality Management has ordered half of the staff in government and private offices to work remotely to curb pollution.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has instructed government and private offices in Delhi and five NCR districts to allow 50 per cent of staff to work from home. The order is effective from November 5 to 20.
The instruction applies to the NCT of Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. However, the arrangement will not apply to essential services or industrial establishments where such a setup is not feasible.
The panel has also imposed restrictions on outdoor construction and dust-generating demolition activities across the NCR during this period. These curbs include linear public infrastructure projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, power lines, and telecommunication works.
Exemptions have been granted to projects involving the Railways, Metro, airports, and inter-state bus terminals. Hospitals, water supply, sanitation, national security, defence, and projects of national importance are also exempt.
The CAQM cited daily Air Quality Index data from 2018 to 2025, which shows pollution levels typically rise in Delhi-NCR during early to mid-November. The commission stated these preventive measures address seasonal vulnerability caused by local emissions, biomass burning, and adverse weather conditions.