Delhi will ban all construction and demolition work from December 10, 2026, to January 20, 2027, as part of its winter pollution plan. The phased restrictions begin earlier, with dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction barred from November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027.

The measures are part of a Winter Pollution Action Plan first notified in July. Unlike past years, when orders were issued only after air quality worsened, the new framework is designed to switch on automatically every winter from November to February.

The plan was reviewed in a high-level meeting attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. Essential public infrastructure and emergency works are exempt from the ban.

Vehicles carrying sand, stone, bricks, cement and debris will also face restrictions on entering Delhi during the ban period. The government says the advance schedule gives builders time to plan work before the strictest weeks of winter.