Page 4 - Delhi-ncr

Delhi breathes 'very poor' air on Diwali morning; Stage II curbs imposed

Delhi-NCR records 'very poor' air quality with AQI above 300 on Diwali; CM Rekha Gupta urges citizens to use only green crackers in the city

Green cracker nod to boost diwali fireworks use by 40% in Delhi-NCR: Report

The Supreme Court order, allowing the sale and bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR region, may increase the number of families bursting fire crackers by 40 per cent as compared to the last year, raising fears that 'regular fireworks' could also make a comeback, a LocalCircles study said. The study, conducted among more than 38,000 residents across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, said "34 per cent of families in Delhi-NCR surveyed are likely to burn crackers this Diwali; half of them may also burn regular crackers in addition to the green ones." Of the total number of people surveyed, 17 per cent said they would burst only green crackers, while another 17 per cent said they would use both green and regular crackers, the study noted, indicating that the illegal sale and use of conventional fireworks may persist despite restrictions. The study added that the rise comes after the apex court's order of October 15, which permitted the sale and bursting of only ...

Traders, RWAs welcome SC nod for green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR

Traders and residents' welfare associations on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's order permitting the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali, and urged the authorities to ensure strict enforcement to prevent any misuse. Paramjeet Singh Pamma, chairperson of the Sadar Bazaar Traders Association, said the decision has brought relief to shopkeepers ahead of Diwali. "We are happy that the court has given this relaxation. It will help revive business activity during the festive season and attract more buyers to the markets," he said. Some traders said they are awaiting further clarification from the authorities on the modalities for sale and licensing of firecrackers to avoid confusion before the festive period. In a significant relaxation ahead of Diwali, the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during the festival, subject to specific conditions. The court said that use of green crackers will be .

SC allows 5 days trial for green fire crackers in Delhi-NCR; reserves order

CJI-led bench has allowed the bursting and sale of NEERI-approved green firecrackers for five days during Diwali in Delhi-NCR, with strict time limits and enforcement measures to curb pollution

SC reserves verdict on green firecracker sale, use across Delhi-NCR

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested that the Supreme Court allow the bursting of green crackers to be permitted from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali under strict conditions

Realty's next address: NCR's growth arteries pulse via SPR, Sohna

Part-I of this three-part series dives into Delhi-NCR's SPR, Sohna, Dwarka Expressway, and Jewar Airport leading the charge

Delhi-NCR office leasing rises 2.5x in Jul-Sep on strong corporate demand

The Delhi-NCR property market witnessed a 2.5 times jump in net leasing of office spaces during the July-September period on better demand for premium workspaces from corporates, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Net leasing jumped to 3.79 million (37.9 lakh) square feet in the third quarter of this calendar year from 1.52 million (15.2 lakh) square feet in the year-ago period. Net absorption is a key indicator of real estate demand, representing the net change in occupied office space. Delhi-NCR contributed 23 per cent to the total net leasing of office spaces across the top eight cities during the July-September quarter. Net leasing of office space rose 35 per cent across eight major cities to 16.25 million (162.5 lakh) square feet during the third quarter of this calendar year from 12.08 million (120.8 lakh) square feet a year ago. With 44.3 million (443 lakh) sq ft of net absorption recorded in the first nine months of 2025, the market has already achieved nearly 87 per cent .

SC ends ECC exemption for vehicles carrying essential goods into Delhi

The Supreme Court has withdrawn a decade-old exemption for commercial vehicles carrying essential commodities from paying the Environment Compensation Cess (ECC) before entering Delhi. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria passed the order on September 26, which was made public recently. The court held that the earlier exemption, granted in October 2015, was creating "genuine operational difficulties" and undermining the purpose of the levy. The bench allowed the application of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), seeking the removal of "the exemption granted to commercial vehicles carrying Essential Commodities viz. Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, Grains, Egg., Ice (to be used as food item), Poultry Items...laden vehicles from ECC in pursuance to this courts order dated 09.10.2015". The civic body submitted that on account of the exemption granted by this court, serious difficulties are faced as vehicles are required

Delhi HC dismisses a petition for 'fabricated, AI-generated content'

In a dispute over delayed possession of flats in Gurugram, GWA had filed a petition and attempted to support it by quoting old judgments

Bomb threats in Delhi, Bombay HCs trigger evacuations, disrupt proceedings

Following similar alerts, both courts were evacuated, hearings suspended, and bomb disposal squads deployed as authorities carried out thorough searches

India's top metros double urban footprint in 30 yrs; Pune, Bengaluru lead

A new report shows India's biggest cities have grown fast in 30 years, with Pune and Bengaluru leading the way as they add new homes, offices, roads and become key growth centres

NCAP directs Delhi, Noida to improve pollution control fund utilisation

A central panel monitoring the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has directed the municipal corporations of Delhi and Noida, which are lagging in pollution control fund utilisation, to take immediate corrective measures. The decision was taken at the 18th meeting of the Implementation Committee (IC) under NCAP, held on August 21 and chaired by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) chairman, to review and oversee the programme's implementation. The committee said that "all implementing agencies must accelerate fund utilisation, ensuring that it is not below 75 per cent in any city", according to the minutes of the meeting published recently. Launched in 2019, NCAP is India's first national initiative to set clean air targets, aiming for a 40 per cent reduction in particulate pollution by 2026, using 2019-20 as the base year. Of the cities covered under NCAP, 82 receive direct funding from the Union environment ministry, while 48 cities and urban agglomerations with population

Retail space demand in Delhi-NCR jumps 25% in Jan-Jun 2025, shows CBRE data

Leasing of retail spaces in shopping malls and high-streets across Delhi-NCR rose 25 per cent in the January-June period on better demand and higher new supply, according to CBRE. Real estate consultant CBRE data shows that the Delhi-NCR market saw leasing of 5 lakh sq ft retail spaces in January-June as compared to 4 lakh sq ft in the year-ago period. Fashion and apparel segment was a major driver of demand in January-June 2025 with 35 per cent of the share in the total leasing across Delhi-NCR. Homeware and departmental store took 30 per cent of the retail spaces. CBRE data pertains to leasing in investment-grade shopping malls, high streets and standalone developments. Fresh supply of retail spaces in shopping malls only stood at 3 lakh sq ft during the first half of 2025 as compared to zero new supply in the corresponding period of the preceding year. Commenting on the trend, Ankit Sharma, SVP-Leasing at Elan Group, said, "Retail is no longer just about transactions, it is ab

India's top cities hold 106 mn sq ft TOD real estate potential: CBRE

CBRE estimates 106 million sq ft TOD-linked real estate potential in India's top cities, with Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Chennai leading growth around major transit hubs

Delhi tops 1,000 mm rainfall as wet spell continues into September

Delhi has breached 1,000 mm of rainfall for the season as rain continues to lash the national capital and its surrounding region. The city had already crossed its annual average rainfall mark of 774 mm last month. Dark clouds hovered over the skyline, and steady rain was witnessed from morning hours, keeping the city wet throughout the day. The city crossed the 1,000-mm mark after two continuous days of intermittent showers lashed the city. Breaking down the data, Delhi had recorded 963.4 mm of rainfall till August 31 this year. It received another 37.8 mm on September 1 and 16 mm till 5.30 pm on Tuesday, pushing the total past 1,000 mm. Delhi had crossed its annual rainfall mark of 774.4 mm on August 14, the fastest such development since 2021, when this mark was reached on August 1. According to the data, August this year ended with a monthly rainfall of 400.1 mm, which is 72 per cent above the long-period average (LPA) of 233.1 mm. This made it the wettest August since 2010, whe

Half of Delhi NCR residents call govt's waterlogging response 'pathetic'

Survey reveals that 75 per cent of Delhi residents lost work hours due to waterlogging and traffic snarls, and 63 per cent reported higher vehicle repair costs from driving through flooded streets

Delhi-NCR rain chaos: Yamuna crosses danger mark, flood alert, massive traffic jams & more

Heavy rains lashed Delhi- NCR on Monday, September 1, causing waterlogging, traffic snarls, and fears of flooding along the Yamuna. Authorities have issued multiple advisories for commuters, schools,

India's road accident deaths crossed 173,000 in 2023; Delhi tops list

Road fatalities in India rose 2.6 per cent in 2023, with 173,000 deaths. Delhi registered the most fatalities, while young adults and two-wheeler riders remained the most at risk

Hepatitis A and E cases surge in Delhi as monsoon heightens infection risk

Doctors reveal a 40 per cent increase in hepatitis A, E infections. Experts warn that poor sanitation, unsafe water and street food are fuelling the seasonal spike in hepatitis cases

ED conducts raids on BPTP offices in Delhi-NCR in foreign funds probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday searched premises related to real estate company BPTP across the Delhi-NCR region as part of a foreign exchange violation case involving funds of about Rs 500 crore, official sources said. The multiple locations of the Faridabad-based Business Parks Town Planners Private Limited (BPTP) were searched under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), they said. The company could not be contacted immediately for a response on the ED action. A probe found that BPTP received foreign investment of more than Rs 500 crore under the "automatic route" from foreign companies based in Mauritius during 2007-2008 through put option/swap option in "contravention" of the existing FEMA rules and regulations, according to ED sources. They alleged that company CMD Kabul Chawla anonymously held foreign assets. Multiple FIRs registered against the company and its directors across various police stations in Delhi-NCR are a subject of the ED prob