The Delhi Government has introduced a permanent Winter Pollution Policy with mandatory work-from-home
July 1, 2026: The Delhi Government has notified a permanent Winter Pollution Policy that will be enforced every year from November 1 to February 28 to tackle seasonal air pollution. The policy introduces a uniform framework that includes mandatory 50 per cent work-from-home for offices from November 1, restrictions on construction activities and stricter measures to reduce vehicular emissions and dust pollution. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the new policy combines multiple existing directives into a single, enforceable framework to improve compliance and air quality.
Under the new rules, demolition and civil construction activities will remain banned during the peak pollution season to reduce dust emissions. Parking charges will also be doubled from November 1 to discourage the use of private vehicles, while authorities will intensify action against open waste burning and other major sources of pollution.
The government has also strengthened year-round enforcement against polluting vehicles by directing fuel stations to deny fuel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. According to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the policy is designed to ensure coordinated action across departments while simplifying implementation and improving enforcement against vehicular emissions, dust pollution and waste burning.