Delhi Chokes: Government Revises Office Timings to Tackle Pollution—Check New Schedule

New Delhi: The problem of air pollution has again become acute in the national capital, Delhi, once again these days. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Friday, announced staggered working hours for the winter season. This step has been taken with the aim of distributing the traffic load equally and reducing the pollution level. Presently the timings of Delhi Government employees are from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm and MCD is from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, which creates huge traffic jams in the morning and evening peak hours. 

When will the decision come into effect?

Under the new timetable, Delhi government offices will function from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm and MCD offices will function from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm from 15 November 2025 to 15 February 2026. This change will be experimental for three months, which will reduce vehicle emissions.

Has this change been made keeping in mind the current situation of pollution? 

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s Sameer App, the air quality index (AQI) remained in the 'very poor' category at 29 out of 38 monitoring stations in the city on Friday, above 300. According to PTI, Delhi's 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 322, which falls in the 'red zone'. PM2.5 remained the major pollutant, with the transport sector's contribution estimated at 15% on Saturday and 14% on Sunday. Vehicles were seen passing slowly due to dense fog on ITO Yamuna Bridge. The Air Quality Early Warning System has also warned that 'very poor' conditions will persist in the coming days.

How is the situation in the NCR region?

The level of pollution in the areas around Delhi is also worrying. The AQI was recorded at 314 in Ghaziabad and 306 in Noida, both of which are in the 'very poor' category. In winter, pollution due to stubble burning, vehicle smoke and seasonal factors increases, due to which respiratory diseases are spreading rapidly. This step of the government will have a direct impact on PM2.5 levels by reducing traffic congestion as the number of vehicles will reduce during morning peak hours.

Is this change limited to offices only? 

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that this is part of traffic management, which will form part of the overall pollution control strategy. The congestion caused by the current gap of 30 minutes will now end. The Delhi government statement clarified that this step can reduce vehicle emissions by 10-15%. However, experts believe that along with this, it is necessary to stop construction works and promote odd-even scheme and public transport. Will this experiment be successful? Time will tell, but this is definitely a positive step for the health of Delhiites.