With air pollution worsening and the Air Quality Index (AQI) slipping into the severe category, the Delhi government has announced a fresh set of strict measures to limit further deterioration in air quality. The steps will come into force from Thursday and are aimed at reducing vehicular emissions, construction dust and workplace congestion across the national capital.

The decision follows three consecutive days of severe air quality, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management to enforce Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The Delhi government’s additional measures are intended to support these restrictions and reduce pollution exposure for residents.

One of the key steps announced is a shift to hybrid working arrangements. Labour Minister Kapil Mishra said that all government and private offices in Delhi must ensure work-from-home or hybrid work from Thursday. While offices will not be shut completely, only up to 50 per cent of staff will be allowed to attend work physically, with the remaining employees required to work remotely.

However, the order does not apply to essential and emergency services. Hospitals, health workers, sanitation staff, fire services, transport workers and departments involved in pollution control have been exempted to ensure that critical operations continue without disruption.

To address the impact of construction-related restrictions, the government has announced financial support for affected workers. Construction activities have been halted under GRAP-IV norms, and workers impacted by the stoppage will receive compensation of ₹10,000. The Labour Minister said the payment will cover the entire period during which GRAP-IV remains in force, and that the registration process for eligible workers is currently underway.

Vehicular pollution has emerged as another major focus area. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate will not be allowed to refuel at petrol pumps from Thursday. The move is aimed at identifying and restricting high-emission vehicles from operating in the city.

PUC certificates are issued after emission tests conducted at authorised centres in Delhi. The certificates are valid for 12 months for Bharat Stage IV and Bharat Stage VI compliant vehicles. Officials warned that violations of the PUC rule could result in fines of up to ₹20,000.

Enforcement agencies have been directed to step up checks across the city. More than 500 police personnel will be deployed at petrol pumps, while monitoring will be carried out at over 120 checkpoints across Delhi. Automatic number plate recognition systems and manual inspections will be used to ensure compliance.