National News
With winter approaching and concerns over worsening air quality increasing across the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has announced a fresh set of pollution-control measures. Under the new directions, government and private offices in Delhi and five adjoining NCR districts will be allowed to operate with only 50% of their workforce physically present, while the remaining employees will work from home.
The restrictions will come into effect on November 5 and remain in force until November 20, 2026. Alongside the work-from-home arrangement, dust-generating demolition and outdoor construction activities will also face restrictions across the entire National Capital Region.
The measures are intended to reduce pollution at its source and prevent a sharp deterioration in air quality during the historically high-pollution period of November.
50% Work From Home: Which Areas Will Be Affected?
According to the CAQM order dated October 30, government and private offices in Delhi and five NCR districts must ensure that no more than 50% of their employees attend the workplace physically.
The remaining workforce will be required to work from home during the specified period.
The attendance restrictions will apply to the following areas:
- Delhi: Entire National Capital Territory.
- Gurugram: Offices across the district.
- Faridabad: Government and private offices.
- Sonipat: Offices operating within the district.
- Ghaziabad: Government and private establishments.
- Gautam Buddha Nagar: Including Noida and surrounding areas.
The directions cover both government and private offices. However, industrial establishments and essential services where such working arrangements are not feasible have been exempted.
The objective is to reduce daily commuting, vehicle movement and associated emissions by allowing a significant proportion of employees to work remotely.
Construction and Demolition Activities to Face Restrictions From November 5
Apart from the office attendance restrictions, CAQM has ordered a temporary halt to dust-generating demolition and outdoor construction activities throughout the NCR from November 5 to November 20.
The restrictions are designed to control construction-related dust, which is one of the important contributors to deteriorating air quality in the region.
The measures cover activities associated with:
- Outdoor civil construction work.
- Demolition of buildings and structures.
- Dust-generating road construction.
- Highway and flyover construction.
- Construction of roads and overbridges.
- Power transmission infrastructure.
- Pipeline installation activities.
- Telecommunication infrastructure projects.
The restrictions also cover dust-generating work associated with linear public infrastructure projects.
However, exemptions have been provided for essential and critical projects involving railways, metro services, airports, inter-state bus terminals, hospitals, water supply, sanitation, national security, defence-related activities and projects of national importance.
These exemptions are intended to ensure that essential public services and strategically important infrastructure work are not unnecessarily disrupted.
Why Has CAQM Announced These Measures?
The Commission has based its decision on historical air-quality data recorded during November between 2018 and 2025.
According to CAQM, the analysis shows a recurring pattern of elevated pollution levels during early and mid-November, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching the ‘Severe’ and ‘Severe+’ categories on certain days.
Several factors contribute to this seasonal deterioration.
Stubble and Biomass Burning: Agricultural residue burning in neighbouring states can add significant quantities of pollutants to the regional atmosphere.
Vehicular Emissions: Heavy traffic across Delhi-NCR contributes to the accumulation of harmful gases and particulate matter.
Construction Dust: Demolition, excavation and outdoor construction activities release dust particles into the atmosphere.
Weather Conditions: Low wind speeds, a shallow atmospheric boundary layer and reduced vertical mixing prevent pollutants from dispersing effectively.
These conditions can cause pollutants to remain concentrated near the ground, increasing exposure for millions of residents.
CAQM has therefore opted for preventive intervention rather than waiting for air quality to deteriorate further.
Will the 50% Work-From-Home Rule Apply to Private Companies?
Yes. The CAQM directions specifically include both government and private offices in the identified areas.
Private companies operating in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar will need to organise their workforce so that up to 50% of employees attend offices physically, while the remaining employees work remotely.
Companies may need to introduce rotational attendance schedules, remote-working arrangements and revised operational plans to comply with the directions.
However, industrial establishments and essential services where such arrangements are not feasible are exempt.
For businesses, the announcement means preparing for temporary changes in office operations, employee scheduling and daily commuting arrangements.
Is This Part of GRAP or a Separate Pollution-Control Order?
The latest directions have been issued by CAQM under its powers provided by the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.
Although the measures are aligned with the broader objectives of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), they are preventive restrictions scheduled for a specific period.
Unlike certain GRAP restrictions that are triggered by particular AQI levels, these measures have fixed implementation dates.
This allows authorities to take action before seasonal pollution reaches its most dangerous levels.
What Does This Mean for Residents and Businesses?
The upcoming restrictions could affect daily routines, office operations and construction-related businesses across Delhi-NCR.
For employees, the 50% attendance arrangement means greater opportunities to work remotely and avoid daily commuting.
For employers, it will be important to coordinate staff schedules and ensure that business operations continue smoothly.
Construction companies and contractors may need to reschedule outdoor activities, review project timelines and comply with the temporary restrictions.
Residents could benefit from reduced construction dust and potentially lower emissions associated with daily commuting. However, the overall improvement in air quality will depend on multiple factors, including weather conditions, vehicular emissions, agricultural burning and enforcement of pollution-control measures.
