Delhi construction ban from Dec 10 to Jan 20 amid winter air pollution concerns

Representational image. File pic

The Delhi government will impose a complete ban on construction activities in the national capital from December 10 to January 20 as part of measures to tackle worsening air pollution during the winter season, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Friday.

Gupta urged residents to report violations, saying construction sites measuring more than 500 square metres will be monitored through the Delhi government's Dust Portal and AI-enabled cameras.

Real-time monitoring of construction sites

In a post on X, Gupta said construction activities had continued at some sites during the previous winter despite restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

She said the government would take a stricter approach this year, with construction sites being monitored in real time through the Dust Portal and AI-powered cameras.

The system will send alerts to the government's Control and Command Centre when violations or pollution-related concerns are detected. Notices, warnings and fines will follow, she said.

Citizens urged to report violations

Gupta asked residents to inform the authorities if they come across construction activity during the ban period.

Citizens can report violations to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), their MLA or the chief minister, she said.

The move is aimed at strengthening enforcement during the winter months, when Delhi regularly experiences a deterioration in air quality due to a combination of local emissions and unfavourable weather conditions.

AI-powered Dust Portal launched in July

The Delhi government had launched Dust Portal 2.0 in July to strengthen monitoring of construction and demolition sites and improve compliance with dust pollution-control measures.

Developed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the portal uses GIS mapping, live 360-degree PTZ cameras, PM10 and PM2.5 sensors and AI-based analytics.

It monitors construction sites measuring 500 square metres or more and helps authorities assess compliance with dust-control norms.

System generates pollution alerts

The portal generates yellow, orange and red alerts based on pollution levels and enables digital issuance of compliance certificates and enforcement notices when violations are detected.

Its upgraded dashboards allow officials to track district-wise compliance, pollution trends and hotspots.

Officials and project proponents can also remotely monitor construction sites through live camera feeds, sensor readings and AI-generated analysis.

(With inputs from PTI)