Gurugram bans construction from November 5 to 20, orders 50% work-from-home

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.

𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟱𝟬% 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳

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.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱

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.

𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀

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.

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗵𝗶-𝗡𝗖𝗥 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹

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.