Air pollution in India’s capital Delhi has turned severe even before winter sets in. With no improvement in conditions, the authorities have ordered all government and private offices in the city to have 50 percent of their staff work from home.
Indian media reported that the government is also bringing in several strict restrictions from November 1 to control pollution. They include a ban on older vehicles, a halt to construction work and a doubling of parking fees.
Under the new rules, vehicles that do not meet the BS6 emission standard will not be allowed on Delhi’s roads from November 1 until January 31, 2027. Electric and CNG-powered vehicles, ambulances and fire engines are exempt.
Violators will be sent e-challans, or electronic fines. Special monitoring teams, automatic number plate recognition cameras and an AI-based control centre will be used to enforce the rules.
Construction and demolition work in Delhi has also been ordered to stop over the same period, though some essential government projects are exempt.
Government office hours have been changed to ease traffic congestion. Offices of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will run from 8am to 5pm and those of the Delhi government from 10am to 6:30pm. Parking fees have been doubled to discourage the use of private cars.
Petrol pumps in Delhi will also not sell fuel to vehicles without a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Automatic number plate recognition cameras have been installed at 500 petrol pumps in the capital to enforce the rule.
Earlier, on October 21, the first stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was put into effect in Delhi to control pollution.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report