Delhi govt lifts ban on construction activities as air quality improves

30 Nov 2021 CW Team

On Monday, Delhi Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, told the media that New Delhi lifted a ban on construction projects as air quality enhanced marginally but offices and schools will remain shut till Wednesday at least.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to 303 on a scale of 500, decreasing from 499 almost a week back, when a thick haze hung over the city of over 200 million people.

The present AQI levels still show very poor conditions, as per the government monitoring agencies. Air quality is gradually changing, the minister said. Labourers were meeting challenges, and that is why they have decided to resume construction work.

He said that the officials would observe construction sites to guarantee that builders follow dust-control terms fixed by the government. Rai said that Delhi would consider limiting private vehicles to driving on alternate days if severe air pollution remained to trouble India's capital.

Apart from preventing construction, the city government had closed schools and offices, letting people work from home. Rai told the media that the officials would examine the city's air quality on November 24 and then determine whether to resume schools and offices.

He additionally urged citizens to utilise public transport. Vehicular emissions added to over half of Delhi's air pollution between October 24 to November 8.

Delhi's choking air put many children in hospital with breathing difficulties, doctors told the media last week, and the government closed five power stations and extended school closures to check the crisis. Air quality declines sharply in the winter months in Delhi, frequently ranked the world's most polluted capital. Pollutants arising from transport, crop residue burning, industries, and coal-fired plants outside the city tend to get trapped as temperatures drop during winter.

Image Source

Real Estate

05 Aug 2026

CREDAI-MCHI to Host 10th Design & Construction Conference

CREDAI-MCHI will host the 10th anniversary edition of its Design & Construction Conference on August 19, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.The event is expected to bring together more than 500 procurement leaders, construction heads, architects, consultants and senior real estate decision-makers, alongside over 50 construction and ancillary brands.The conference will feature product launches, technology showcases, knowledge sessions, strategic business-to-business networking and recognition of procurement professionals contributing to the transformation of the construction..

BorgWarner Wins Extension for High-Voltage Inverter Programmes

BorgWarner has secured a major extension of several high-volume high-voltage inverter programmes from a leading European automotive manufacturer.The contracts cover updated inverter designs for plug-in hybrid and 800V battery-electric vehicle applications. Production is scheduled to begin in 2029.Isabelle McKenzie, President and General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems, said the programme extensions demonstrate the company’s position in power electronics and reflect the strength of its technology, in-house expertise and customer relationships.For plug-in hybrid vehicles, BorgWarner wil..

Castrol India Q2 Profit Rises 43% to Rs 3.48 bn

Castrol India reported a 43 per cent year-on-year increase in profit after tax to Rs 3.48 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, supported by growth across its consumer, industrial and institutional businesses.Revenue from operations increased 25 per cent to Rs 18.71 billion during the second quarter of 2026, compared with Rs 14.97 billion in the corresponding period of 2025. EBITDA rose 41 per cent to Rs 4.94 billion from Rs 3.50 billion.Sequentially, revenue increased from Rs 15.45 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while EBITDA rose from Rs 3.29 billion. Profit after tax increased ..