To curb air pollution and protect Delhiites, the working hours of the Delhi government and the Delhi Municipal Corporation office may be revised next week. This is to ensure people travel at different times, easing traffic and reducing pollution. Right now, most Delhi government and MCD offices open and close within a 30-minute gap, causing heavy traffic and jams in the morning and evening.
Currently, the timings are 9:30 am to 6:00 pm for Delhi government employees, and 9:00 am to 5:30 pm for Delhi Municipal Corporation employees.
New Timings Proposed for the Winter Season
- Delhi Government offices from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
- Delhi Municipal Corporation offices from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the staggered working hours on Friday amid a huge spike in pollution levels in the city.
The move was based on a report that said ‘pollution levels are going up at an alarming level.’ The report highlighted the urgency of the situation. The decision to change office timings follows a high-level meeting and is part of broader efforts to protect public health. The decision follows a high-level meeting and is part of broader efforts to protect public health as Delhi continues to grapple with severe air pollution each year.
The government said that the 30-minute difference in office timings between Delhi government and MCD employees causes heavy traffic during rush hours, which makes the city’s air quality worse.
Delhi Air Pollution
On Friday, data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app showed that 29 out of 38 monitoring stations in Delhi had air quality in the ‘very poor’ range, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 300.
According to PTI, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI was 322 at 4 pm, putting the city in the ‘red zone’. The main pollutant was PM2.5, and vehicles are expected to add about 15% to PM2.5 levels on Saturday and 14% on Sunday.
The situation is also bad in nearby areas. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 314, and Noida had 306 — both falling in the ‘very poor’ category.
