Delhi Govt, MCD to operate in staggered shifts to ease traffic and curb pollution

In view of the rising air pollution in the national capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced revised working hours for Delhi government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices. The move aims to serve as a precautionary measure to help mitigate pollution levels.

The decision is intended to prevent a sudden surge of vehicular traffic during peak hours, thereby distributing the flow of vehicles more evenly throughout the day and reducing emissions.

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The Chief Minister stated that her government is making continuous and concerted efforts to tackle the spike in air pollution. As part of this proactive approach, the government has introduced staggered office timings well in advance of the winter pollution peak.

Gupta emphasised that her administration believes in preventive action rather than reactive measures. She added that a recent meeting with senior scientific officers from the Department of Environment reviewed the worsening air quality in Delhi, following which it was decided that from November 15, 2025, to February 15, 2026, staggered office hours would be implemented across all Delhi government departments and the MCD.

Officials noted that similar measures had been adopted by previous governments during periods of severe pollution.

The Chief Minister directed that sufficient variation be maintained in office opening and closing hours to avoid simultaneous peak-hour congestion.

During winter, concentrations of pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10 rise significantly above normal levels, severely deteriorating air quality and posing serious risks to public health.

At present, Delhi government offices operate from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, while MCD offices function from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. With only a 30-minute difference between their schedules, the city experiences heavy traffic congestion during both morning and evening hours, further worsening air pollution.

To address this, the government has decided to widen the gap between the working hours of the two institutions. Under the new winter timings, Delhi government offices will function from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm, while MCD offices will operate from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

The Chief Minister has instructed officials to ensure strict implementation of the new schedule throughout the winter season and to continuously monitor both traffic and pollution levels.