New Delhi, Sept. 28 -- With winter pollution months approaching, the Delhi government has lined up a tighter enforcement and monitoring regime, including 50 per cent work-from-home, doubled parking charges, staggered office timings, stricter PUCC compliance, an expansion of its air-quality monitoring network from 47 to 60 stations, and a phased ban on construction and demolition activities from November.
The measures were announced after a meeting chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav at Paryavaran Bhawan on Monday, attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh and senior officials. The government said the Winter Action Plan 2026-27 would focus on prevention, enforcement, technology-based monitoring and public participation.
Parking charges, office timings to change
From November 1, parking charges at authorised parking sites will be doubled until February 28, 2027. DMRC-owned and managed parking facilities will be exempt. MCD offices will function from 8.30 am to 5 pm and Delhi government offices from 10 am to 6.30 pm. Government and private offices will also reduce their in-office workforce by 50 per cent, with half the staff working from home.
Construction restrictions to be phased
Dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction activities will be prohibited from November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027. A complete ban on construction and demolition activities will subsequently remain in force from December 10 to January 20. Of 723 registered construction sites, 600, or 83 per cent, are already under web-camera monitoring, with complete coverage targeted by October 31.
Transport measures strengthened
The government will intensify the "No PUCC-No Fuel" mechanism across 500 fuel stations and strengthen action against end-of-life vehicles through ANPR-based systems. PUCC centres will also be revamped. Three Automated Testing Stations currently have a combined capacity to test 2.44 lakh commercial vehicles annually.Delhi's bus fleet has reached 6,840, including 5,088 electric buses, while last-mile connectivity is available at all 228 Metro stations. The government has set targets of increasing average daily Metro ridership from 65 lakh to 72 lakh and DTC ridership from 37 lakh to 42 lakh. Metro Sarthi, shared mobility and car-pooling will also be promoted.
Dust, open burning and industrial pollution
Delhi has targeted redevelopment of 3,065 km of roads in 2026, compared with an annual average of around 1,000 km. As of September 20, 1,193 km had been completed, leaving 1,872 km under execution, with cement-concrete works targeted for completion by October 31.
Mechanised road-sweeping machines have increased from 76 last year to 98, with double-shift operations. Zero Open Burning teams will operate at ward and district levels, while citizens can report violations through 311 and the Green Delhi App.
Between December 1, 2025 and September 26, 2026, around 11,271 industrial units were surveyed, of which 2,283 were closed or sealed, 1,665 for air pollution and 618 for water pollution.
Monitoring network expanded
The Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations network will expand from 47 to 60 stations. An AI-enabled Command and Control Centre and 334 enforcement teams, 256 ward teams and 78 Delhi Pollution Control Committee teams, will support monitoring, backed by PTZ cameras and geo-tagged, time-stamped inspections.
The government said Delhi has also crossed its target of planting 70 lakh trees, while 433 acres of identified brown areas have been greened.
"Air pollution does not recognise administrative boundaries. Delhi is taking responsibility for every source of pollution within its jurisdiction, but a significant share of the pollution affecting the capital is influenced by the surrounding areas. Delhi will act, Delhi will enforce, but the entire NCR must work together. Clean air is a shared responsibility," Sirsa said. He added, "The Government will act, departments will be accountable, and I will personally monitor implementation on the ground. But the Government alone cannot deliver clean air. Every citizen has a role to play."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.