New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has restricted outdoor construction and demolition work that raises dust across the National Capital Region (NCR) from November 5 to 20, a window that spans Diwali and what is typically the season's worst stubble burning impact, extending the curbs to highways, roads and other linear public projects. The order covers work on flyovers, overbridges, power transmission lines, pipelines and telecommunication works as well, although it exempts projects related to railways, metro services, airports, inter-state bus terminals, hospitals, water supply and sanitation, and national security and defence, along with projects of national importance. Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav announced the curbs on Friday as part of the Centre's efforts to control air pollution in the region. CAQM notified them late on Friday in an order that applies across the NCR, including Delhi, and directs the NCR state governments and the Delhi government to enforce it. The window covers Diwali, on November 8, and the first two weeks of November, when stubble burning and its impact on Delhi have historically peaked. The order also requires state government and private offices in Delhi and in Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat and Gautam Buddha Nagar to have no more than half their staff attend in person, with the rest working from home, except in industrial establishments and essential services where this is not feasible. Delhi's winter framework separately mandates 50% work from home in government and private offices from November 1. The order exempts industrial establishments and essential services where working from home is not feasible. The curbs add to Delhi's own ban on construction and demolition from November 1 to January 31, which tightens into a "stricter" ban on all C&D activities from December 10, 2026 to January 20, 2027. CAQM said a combination of factors tends to make this a highly polluted window: emissions from local sources, seasonal burning of crop residue and biomass, and other episodic events....