Delhi govt advises private offices to allow 50% employees to work from home

The Delhi government on Saturday directed private offices to operate with 50 per cent on-site staff and to allow the remaining employees to work from home as a precautionary measure under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III.

The advisory follows directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), officials said.

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the ninth consecutive day on Saturday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 370, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

A total of 11 monitoring stations in Delhi logged readings in the 'severe' category.

The government has asked private offices to operate with 50 per cent strength on site and to allow the remaining employees to work from home as a precautionary measure under the GRAP Stage III, an official statement said.

They have also been asked to widely disseminate the advisory and ensure effective implementation across all branches.

GRAP is a framework designed to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR through a tiered system of measures based on the severity of pollution levels according to the AQI.

GRAP I restrictions come into force when the AQI is between 201 to 300, GRAP II restrictions come into force when it is between 301 to 400, and GRAP III restrictions come into effect when it is between 401 to 450. GRAP IV restrictions are imposed when the AQI crosses 451.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said in the statement that the government is implementing all pollution-control measures under GRAP III "with full seriousness and round-the-clock monitoring".

He said the city's air quality is being closely tracked, with a special focus on protecting vulnerable groups.

The government has already enforced staggered office timings for its departments and those under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) till February 2025 to ease peak-hour traffic and reduce vehicular emissions.

While MCD offices will function from 8:30 am to 5 pm, Delhi government offices will operate from 10 am to 6:30 pm, the statement said.

Sirsa said more than 2,000 enforcement personnel across various departments were on the ground to ensure compliance with pollution-control norms.

Over 1,200 inspections of construction sites and polluting units have been carried out so far, resulting in more than 200 show-cause notices and 50 orders directing immediate closure of violating sites being issued, he added.

The minister urged citizens to avoid open burning of waste and biomass, to stay alert about dust pollution and report violations through the Green Delhi app.

Underlining the government's commitment to combating air pollution, Sirsa said, "These restrictions are part of an intensified implementation of pollution-control measures. Delhi is acting with urgency and responsibility.