Delhi has notified a permanent Winter Pollution Action Plan with sweeping measures, including 50% work-from-home and a construction ban during winter months.

The plan, gazetted on July 1, 2026, mandates 50% WFH from November 1 to January 31 for both government and private offices.

Construction and demolition will be banned from November 1 to January 31, with a complete ban from December 10 to January 20, the peak pollution window.

Parking fees will double from November 1 to February 28 to discourage private vehicles. Offices must stagger their timings, and the "No PUC, No Fuel" rule applies year-round.

An AI-powered pollution command centre was launched on October 2 to monitor and enforce the plan in real time.

The urgency is visible in the air. Delhi recorded an AQI of 166 on October 2 — the most polluted start to October in four years.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa have backed the plan, calling it a structural fix rather than an annual scramble.

Whether enforcement matches the ambition remains the question. Past winter plans have struggled with compliance at construction sites and on roads.