Delhi’s Winter Action Plan began on November 1, and authorities imposed about Rs 68.4 lakh in fines and compensation on day one, including Rs 9.8 lakh on construction sites for breaking dust-control norms.

For businesses, the rules reach beyond fines. Offices must limit physical attendance to 50% until January 31, parking fees at authorised facilities are doubled until February 28, and a broader construction and demolition ban applies from December 10 to January 20, 2027.

Contractors face the sharpest edge: of 300 sites inspected on the first day, 32 broke dust-control norms, 17 received closure directions and 19 got show-cause notices.

Exempted infrastructure projects were not found violating the dust norms.

Delhi Traffic Police issued 493 of the pollution-certificate challans, worth Rs 49.3 lakh, and the Transport Department issued 73, worth Rs 7.3 lakh.

Inspectors visited 300 construction sites and found 32 breaking dust-control norms, according to the report.

They issued 17 closure directions and 19 show-cause notices, and the Rs 9.8 lakh environmental compensation was imposed on the violating sites.

Exempted infrastructure projects were not found violating dust-control requirements, according to Dainik Jagran English.

Non-Delhi-registered vehicles below the BS-VI emission standard are barred from entering Delhi until January 31, with exemptions for CNG and electric vehicles and essential services.

Dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction are restricted, except for specified essential public infrastructure.

A broader ban on construction and demolition applies from December 10 to January 20, 2027, with exemptions.

Parking fees at authorised facilities are doubled until February 28, according to the report.

Government and private offices must limit physical attendance to 50% from November 1 to January 31, and essential and emergency services are exempt.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa urged residents to keep their vehicle pollution certificates valid and follow the restrictions, according to the report.

Seasonal haze over northern India, NASA MODIS satellite image of 2024 (file image), Wikimedia Commons, public domain