Delhi Mandates 50% Work From Home as Pollution Worsens; Violators to Face Action

As Delhi continues to grapple with hazardous air quality, the city government has mandated that 50% of employees across both government and private establishments work from home starting Thursday, December 17. The move is aimed at reducing daily commuting and curbing vehicular emissions, one of the key contributors to the capital’s pollution crisis.

Announcing the decision at a press conference, Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra said strict enforcement measures would be put in place to ensure compliance. “From Thursday, all government and private institutions must ensure 50% of their workforce is working from home. Strict action will be taken against violators,” Mishra said, underlining that the order applies uniformly across sectors.

The work-from-home directive comes under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which has been in force for over two weeks as air quality levels remain in the ‘severe’ category. By limiting physical attendance at workplaces, the government hopes to ease traffic congestion and bring down emissions linked to daily office travel.

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Acknowledging the economic strain such restrictions may cause, especially for daily-wage and informal workers, Mishra also announced a ₹10,000 financial assistance package for those who have lost employment due to pollution-related curbs. The support is targeted primarily at workers in sectors such as construction and allied activities that have been partially or fully halted under GRAP norms.

The minister added that the compensation scheme would remain in effect during Stage IV of GRAP as well, with benefits extended to workers registered with the government. He said the registration process is currently underway to ensure timely disbursal of aid to eligible beneficiaries.

However, the work-from-home mandate will not apply to essential services. Employees engaged in healthcare, emergency response, fire services and pollution-control operations have been exempted to ensure continuity of critical public services.

Mishra also took a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party, accusing it of politicizing the pollution crisis through protests. He said the current Delhi Chief Minister is actively working to tackle the issue, adding that a problem built up over decades cannot be resolved in a matter of months.