The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has ordered a 16-day suspension of dust-generating construction and demolition activities and directed government and private offices to limit physical attendance to 50 per cent from November 5 to 20 as part of measures to combat rising air pollution across Delhi-NCR.
The directions, issued by the MCG commissioner on Monday, follow the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) October 30 order introducing precautionary restrictions to prevent a further deterioration in air quality during the winter season.
Under the order, all dust-generating outdoor construction and demolition activities covered by the CAQM directions will remain suspended during the specified period. The restrictions will also apply to several public infrastructure projects, including highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission works, pipelines and telecommunication works.
๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฑ๐ฌ% ๐๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ
All state government and private offices in Gurugram have been directed to ensure that no more than 50 per cent of their employees attend work physically, while the remaining staff work from home.
The arrangement will remain in effect from November 5 to November 20.
However, industrial establishments and essential services where work-from-home arrangements are not feasible have been exempted from the attendance restrictions.
Such establishments have been asked to prepare employee rosters and alternative working arrangements in advance to ensure compliance with the CAQM directions.
The MCG has also forwarded the order to the Gurugram deputy commissioner, requesting the district administration to issue necessary instructions to government departments and private establishments.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
The construction restrictions will not apply to certain essential infrastructure projects, including those related to railways, metro services, airports, inter-state bus terminals, hospitals, water supply and sanitation.
Projects concerning national security, defence and other works of national importance will also be exempt under the conditions specified by the CAQM.
However, agencies executing exempted projects must continue implementing prescribed dust-control measures to minimise pollution.
Officials said the restrictions were intended to reduce emissions from construction and infrastructure activities during a period when weather conditions frequently contribute to the accumulation of pollutants across the National Capital Region.
๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ฏ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐
The municipal corporation has directed all departments and executing agencies to designate nodal officers responsible for implementing and monitoring the restrictions.
Departments must circulate the CAQM order to their respective offices, contractors and field agencies and submit action-taken reports to the MCG's additional commissioner (headquarters) before the restrictions take effect.
These reports must include details of instructions issued to halt construction activities, arrangements for monitoring compliance and employee work-from-home rosters wherever applicable.
Departments have also been asked to identify construction projects covered by the restrictions and conduct regular inspections to ensure that contractors comply with the directions.
The MCG's public relations officer has been instructed to publicise the restrictions so that private establishments, construction agencies and residents are informed about the new measures.
๐๐ฒ๐น๐ต๐ถ-๐ก๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ฝ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น
The order has been forwarded to the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran, Public Works Department, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, traffic police and other concerned agencies.
Similar precautionary measures have been announced for Delhi and the NCR districts of Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
The CAQM has described the restrictions as preventive measures aimed at reducing emissions before air quality deteriorates further during the winter months.
The 16-day intervention is intended to limit pollution from construction dust and commuter traffic while allowing essential services and critical infrastructure activities to continue under prescribed safeguards.