Delhi CM Atishi announces revised working hours for government offices due to 'severe' air quality conditions.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has announced staggered office timings for government departments to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, as the city's air quality remains in the "severe" category.
In response to Delhi's worsening air quality, Chief Minister Atishi has announced staggered office timings for government departments across the city, aiming to ease traffic congestion and curb pollution. This move comes as Delhi's air quality remains in the "severe" category for a third consecutive day. On Friday morning, the city awoke to the implementation of Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), following an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 411—firmly in the "severe" range of 400-500.
Under the GRAP system, Delhi-NCR’s air quality is categorized into four stages: Stage 1 (AQI 201-300, "poor"), Stage 2 (AQI 301-400, "very poor"), Stage 3 (AQI 401-450, "severe"), and Stage 4 (AQI above 450, "severe plus"). The capital's air quality has been further aggravated by a thick fog, which reduced visibility to as low as 400 meters in some areas, including Safdarjung. Additionally, the city recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season at 15.6°C, higher than the usual seasonal average.
To reduce emissions from traffic, a key contributor to the city's pollution, the Delhi government has rolled out new office hours for different sectors:
These staggered timings are part of a broader strategy to alleviate congestion and reduce pollution.
In addition to these measures, Stage III restrictions under GRAP also include:
If the air quality continues to deteriorate, Stage IV restrictions could be introduced, which may involve:
The authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and additional measures may be implemented to safeguard public health.
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