Each winter, India’s cities descend into a preventable haze, and construction and demolition dust remains one of the most visible culprits. This season, enforcement agencies are proactive.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has fined violators nearly Rs 1.8 crore across more than 1,100 construction sites for failing to control dust. The government has also deployed new inspection teams to identify and penalise unregistered sites. In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has given developers a one-month deadline to install real-time air-quality sensors at construction sites.
The Supreme Court has asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to explore alternatives to blanket construction bans in Delhi-NCR. Meanwhile, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has simplified its dust-control checklist from 27 to 12 measures to make compliance easier. A Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) report shows that clean construction practices can cut particulate levels at sites by up to 70 per cent.
Our analysis of existing emission inventories data shows that construction and demolition (C&D) activities contribute up to 2-8 per cent of annual PM2.5 emissions (and 6-22 per cent of PM10). The contribution increases up to 40 per cent during the summer months. Unlike stubble burning, it is also not a seasonal problem. Construction, like vehicular emissions, happens all year round.
The three-pronged approach
Historically, Delhi has demonstrated periodic steps towards tackling air pollution — from switching to CNG for public transport and now expanding its fleet of electric buses. We now need a step change, and construction dust can be one of the next frontiers. The blanket construction bans under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) may offer temporary relief, but they stall projects, drive up costs, and ultimately pass the burden to homebuyers and labourers.
Targeted, consistently enforced safeguards—not sweeping bans—can therefore deliver cleaner air at far lower social and economic costs. A smarter approach lies in modest upfront investments in dust management that protect both air quality and construction timelines.
With a three-pronged approach, Delhi can cut construction dust pollution by half in the next three years: semi-automated pollution alerts at construction sites, better procurement of C&D recycled products, and mandating dust mitigation plans for all new projects.
First, Delhi should update the C&D portal with semi-automated alerts by 2026. The city already has a portal that mandates project proponents to upload on-site pollutant levels on the portal, alongside making provisions for video-fencing and self-monitoring their compliance with clean construction guidelines at the sites.
While these measures provide higher data availability and streamline information for regulators and builders to undertake context-specific mitigation measures effectively, there is a crucial gap: who should use this data, and how? Even when project proponents deploy air quality monitors, enforcement remains weak, as compliance monitoring and regulatory follow-through are inconsistent.
Currently, dust-control responsibilities are spread across multiple stakeholders, including the contractor, site manager and the inspection team; it dilutes follow-through. Builders often meet registration requirements but slip on enforcement, knowing penalties are inconsistent. Compliance can be tracked in real time through video feeds or a low-cost monitoring network. Public disclosure of compliance status on the portal can add reputational pressure on developers, making dust control a visible benchmark for credibility.
Our research highlights how semi-automated, colour-coded alerts to both the builders and the regulators could transform compliance monitoring. Instead of regulators manually scanning data, the portal could automatically flag non-compliant sites to the regulators, allowing ready and targeted interventions. This would not require new investments — just smarter use of existing data. It also aligns with CAQM’s recent direction, empowering regulators to prosecute repeat violators. Delhi must shift from a system of passive reporting to one of active enforcement.
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Stronger framework needed
Second, the municipal corporation must build a stronger framework for reusing construction and demolition waste. In 2015, GNCTD mandated the use of recycled C&D Waste products by all municipal and local government bodies in Delhi, the Public Works Department, and other government departments (including the Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation Department, etc.) for their civil works.
Delhi generates nearly 6,000 tonnes of C&D waste daily, of which around 1,000 tonnes go untreated. Recycling plants are underused because demand for their products — such as paver blocks and aggregates (gravel) — is weak. In FY 2022–23, Delhi estimated that 1.46 million tonnes of C&D waste from various government departments would be recycled, but achieved only a third of this amount.
To fix this, the city must enforce procurement quotas and adjust fiscal incentives. GST on traditional bricks is just 5 per cent, while recycled blocks face an 18 per cent GST, distorting the market away from circularity and sustainability. Rationalising this disparity can boost demand and strengthen the business case for recycling.
Our estimates suggest recycling plants handling 1,000-1,500 tonnes of waste per day require Rs 15-34 crore in capital costs and Rs 9-20 crore annually in operations, which can be offset if recycled materials are mainstreamed in procurement by the urban local bodies. A circular approach to materials reduces dust and gives incentives to companies/developers to store and sell waste rather than dumping it by the roadside.
Uninterrupted progress and development
Third, by 2028, to get approvals, construction companies must produce a dust mitigation plan. Cleaner construction benefits not only developers but also workers, neighbourhoods, and the city’s economy. Many projects face stoppages during peak winter pollution, frustrating both builders, workers and residents. Dust control is therefore not just about cleaner air; it is about uninterrupted progress and development.
One immediate step is to schedule dust-heavy activities, such as demolition or earthworks, outside the winter peaks (mid-Oct to mid-Jan) when pollution levels are most severe. Construction companies already use detailed schedules, including Work Breakdown Structures. A year-round dust mitigation plan can be incorporated into these schedules to ensure that time and resources are allocated for safeguards. CEEW’s activity-based monitoring shows that excavation in greenfield sites and demolition in brownfield sites generate the highest emissions.
If construction activities are planned in line with the guidelines across all project phases in Delhi-NCR, unnecessary delays can be avoided. For instance, the MCD could require an ‘earnest money’ deposit from developers, which would be confiscated in case of violations. This creates a clear cost for non-compliance, while rewarding those who adhere to norms with smoother progress and fewer regulatory hurdles.
With smarter data use, circular practices, and proactive planning, Delhi can achieve cleaner air without compromising its growth and development.
Arpan Patra is Programme Associate, and Arunabha Ghosh is CEO at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and Member (NGO), CAQM. Views are personal.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)