Delhi Govt Employees To Have Staggered Working Hours Due To Pollution, Announces CM Gupta

Delhi's air quality deteriorated to "very poor," prompting Chief Minister Gupta to announce staggered working hours for government employees starting November 15.

The decision aims to reduce traffic congestion and emissions. High AQI levels were recorded across the city, and measures like water sprinklers and increased parking fees are in place.

Source : रविन्द्र जयंत

Amid worsening air quality in the national capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced staggered working hours for Delhi government employees starting November 15.

The move comes amid rising pollution levels that have once again blanketed the national capital in a toxic haze.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 312 at 8 a.m. on Friday, marking a sharp deterioration from 271 a day earlier, which was categorised as ‘poor’.

City Chokes as AQI Turns ‘Very Poor’ 

Several key monitoring stations across Delhi recorded AQI levels well above 300, including Anand Vihar (332), Ashok Vihar (332), Bawana (366), Burari Crossing (345), Chandni Chowk (354), ITO (337), Jahangirpuri (342), Punjabi Bagh (343), and RK Puram (321) — all falling under the ‘very poor’ category.

A few stations, including Lodhi Road (224) and IGI Airport (259), reported ‘poor’ air quality, while JLN Stadium (296) and Aya Nagar (261) hovered close to the ‘very poor’ threshold.

An AQI reading between 0–50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.

Government Response and Weather Update

To mitigate pollution, truck-mounted water sprinklers were deployed across several areas to settle dust and particulate matter. The government has also retained Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), under which the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) recently doubled parking fees across the city to discourage private vehicle use.

Winter has also begun to set in, worsening pollution levels as cold air traps pollutants closer to the ground. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) reported a minimum temperature of around 12°C on November 6, with Safdarjung recording 12.7°C, Palam 12.5°C, Lodhi Road 12°C, and Aya Nagar 11.4°C.

Since Diwali, Delhi and its neighbouring areas have been reeling under poor to very poor air quality conditions, with visibility reduced due to smog.

Chief Minister Gupta said the staggered work-hour policy aims to reduce vehicular congestion during peak hours and curb emissions. “The decision will help ease traffic pressure and minimise pollution caused by office rush-hour traffic,” she said, adding that detailed department-wise timings will be announced before implementation on November 15.