As pollution reaches alarming levels, Centre calls halt to construction across NCR 

With air pollution reaching alarming levels in the National Capital Region, which includes New Delhi, the Centre’s air quality panel has directed authorities across NCR to implement stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The measure includes a ban on diesel vehicles and all types of construction, except those of national importance, which realtors say causes losses of thousands of crore rupees every year besides delaying project timelines and affecting homebuyers.

The ban on diesel vehicles, too, will impede real estate projects; such vehicles are engaged in transporting construction material to sites.

The stoppage of construction gives rise to problems such as payment of bank interest on loans serviced by realtors, adherence to statutory timelines, wages paid to labour and machinery costs that are borne by realtors, said Amit Modi, president of the western UP chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (CREDAI).

“Despite construction activities being shut, we have to pay salaries to staff, wages to labourers, bank interest, machinery cost and bear other expenses. So every year this construction ban due to increase in pollution causes loss of thousands of crore rupees to the real estate sector,” Modi told Moneycontrol on November 4.

Also Read: MC Explains: How will Delhi-NCR construction ban effect the real estate sector

He said only those activities should be banned that directly contribute to dust pollution. Demolition and excavation cause more pollution than other construction activities, he said.

Impact on homebuyers 

According to research by the real estate company ANAROCK, over 400,000 homes are at different stages of construction in the Delhi-NCR region. The impact of a ban on all construction in the area can delay the projects for three-four months.

On September 27, CREDAI’s NCR chapter had written a letter to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the areas of concern that needed to be addressed under GRAP.

In letters to the authorities, CREDAI noted that under GRAP, construction activities come to a grinding halt, which leads to losses across the industry. Even non-polluting sites are forced to stop work, forcing workers to leave town fearing an extended ban.

Also Read: MC Explains: All about stage 1 of Graded Response Action Plan and steps taken by NCR to curb dust pollution

It suggested that because RERA-registered projects are constructed in the interest of homebuyers, they  approach the Commission for Air Quality Management to consider them as public interest projects.

“So far we have not received any response from the RERA authorities regarding our request to declare RERA-registered projects as of public or national importance,” Modi said.

Smog shrouds the capital 

Around this time of the year, a thick shroud of smog envelops Delhi and its neighbouring towns on account of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

According to Central Pollution Control Board data, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 445 at 1.10 pm on November 4. An AQI of above 400 is considered "severe" and can affect healthy people and seriously harm those with existing illnesses. A day earlier, the 24-hour average AQI stood at 450 at 4 pm, just a notch below the "severe plus" category.

A ban on construction and demolition activities in the region ensues, except in case of essential projects such as railways, metros, airports, and national security-related projects.

Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels, and mining and associated activities in NCR are also banned.

According to experts, the ban on construction not only delays real estate projects but is also likely to cause a scarcity of labour in the region. It may lead to a loss of wages for construction workers, which is likely to force them to return to their hometowns.

“Currently construction workers are being paid by contractors but if the scenario prevails for over a fortnight or month, the labour will start returning to their hometowns in the absence of regular wages,” said Thaneshwar Adigaur, convenor of the Nirman Majdoor Adhikar Abhiyan, a joint forum of labour unions across Delhi-NCR.

Construction workers 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 announced his government would pay Rs 5,000 per month to 10,000 registered construction workers in the national capital as long as the ban on construction is in force.No such announcement has been made by other NCR states.

Adigaur said such measures should be implemented universally as there are fewer construction projects in Delhi compared to the NCR towns of Noida and Gurugram, in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

CAQM on November 3 evening issued an order directing Delhi and NCR districts, including Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Gurugram and Faridabad in Haryana, to implement the Stage IV of GRAP.

GRAP Stage IV entails a complete ban on construction and demolition related to public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over-bridges, power transmission projects and pipelines. Projects of national importance are spared.

The movement of diesel-operated trucks, except those carrying essential commodities and used for essential or emergency services in Delhi-NCR, also stops with the closure of all industries in the region.

GRAP IV 

The authorities in Delhi and NCR have taken a slew of measures under stage IV of GRAP to curb air pollution in the region.

Construction activities have been halted and regular water sprinkling is being done.

Officials said that since October 1, the Noida Authority has so far imposed a penalty of over Rs 78 lakh on offenders for violation of GRAP norms. Physical classes up to class VIII in schools have been suspended until November 8, officials said.

A senior official of the UP Pollution Control Board in Ghaziabad said that as directed by CAQM, all measures of GRAP stage IV are being taken in the city.

“After the CAQM order on Thursday evening, GRAP Stage IV has been implemented so we are taking all required measures. However, the call on operating government offices at 50% capacity and promoting work from home, will be taken by the state government,” the official told Moneycontrol.

The Delhi government has decided to close primary schools from Saturday because of alarming pollution and has also set up a six-member panel to monitor implementation of anti-pollution norms.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said 50% of staff at state government offices will work from home and asked revenue commissioners to prepare a plan for staggered timings for offices and markets.

“To ramp up public transport, the government will also launch Paryavaran Bus Service, which will include 500 private CNG buses,” Rai said at a press conference on November 4.

In Gurugram and Faridabad, too, the state pollution control body issued instructions to government departments to ensure compliance with CAQM orders.

“We have issued orders for compliance of anti-pollution norms in accordance with GRAP stage IV. We have also instructed the authorities to intensify inspections to ensure that no industry works on unapproved fuels. State administration will take a call on invoking work from home in government offices and whether to shut schools on account of worsening air quality,” a senior official of the Haryana Pollution Control Board said.

Work on some projects of national importance is still underway in Delhi-NCR including the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), among others.

RRTS is being constructed by National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). The NCRTC has stepped up efforts to reduce air pollution at its construction sites using anti-smog guns and water sprinklers, an NCRTC statement said.