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Air pollution offenders get closure notices in Delhi NCR

By Rishabh Chamoli | 2022-10-18

The air quality in Delhi NCR dips this time of the year, engulfing the entire region in heavy smog. As already established by an industry report, a construction ban in Delhi NCR may be implemented soon. Taking cognisance, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has rounded up the offenders and directed closures of several sites.

The deteriorating air quality has once again become a cause of concern for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued notices to almost 500 defaulters in the region. Earlier this month, an industry report had anticipated a construction ban in Delhi NCR and its impact on the realty landscape of the area. However, the latest move by the commission aims to discourage the developers from flouting air pollution control norms.

What action has CAQM taken?
The CAQM has implemented around 40 flying squads all over Delhi NCR to monitor the enforcement and compliance of norms curtailing air pollution in the area. Of the 8,500 plus construction and demolition sites surveyed by the flying squads, the commission found 491 defaulters and issued them closure notices. The notices have been sent to 110 in Delhi, 118 in Haryana, 211 in Uttar Pradesh and 52 offenders in Rajasthan.

The flying squads have been monitoring by conducting surprise and incognito field inspections across industrial, construction, demolition, residential, and commercial sites and air pollution checkpoints. Following the findings of the impromptu checks, CAQM has advised the concerned State pollution control boards to implement its directives strictly.

How can a construction ban impact the realty of Delhi NCR?
Presently, a total of 5.68 lakh residential units are being constructed in Delhi NCR, including Greater Noida West, Yamuna Expressway, New Gurgaon, Noida Expressway, Dwarka Expressway, Central Noida, Greater Faridabad, Raj Nagar Extension in Ghaziabad, Sohna Road, and Golf Course Extension Road. And there are more than 4 lakh units in these areas combined.

According to an industry report, a construction ban due to air pollution could be a serious setback for ongoing projects since residential projects in Delhi NCR typically take 6 to 8 years to complete. Experts opine that banning construction due to poor air quality might have serious consequences. This can delay a project at least three to four months if construction activity is banned for one month. However, Gurgaons air quality has been good for the last few days due to heavy rain and high wind speeds. And in accordance with the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a construction ban on NCR can only be implemented when the air quality reaches very poor levels.

According to Parveen Jain, Chairman, National Real Estate Development Council and Managing Director, Tulip Infrastructure, It is not appropriate for authorities to summarily ban real estate activity. Instead, they should stop external construction activities, such as plumbing, wiring, tiling, and plastering. Rather than banning all construction activities, the ban should focus on those activities that produce dust pollution. When pollution is curbed, it is important to ensure that the real estate industry is not adversely affected, added Jain.

Will property prices be impacted in the region?
According to experts, construction bans have a negligible impact on property prices. The construction ban, however, could delay project delivery. Currently, Greater Noida West has more than 1.37 lakh units under construction, and a construction ban could affect project deliveries in the future.

Furthermore, real estate prices in most cities are not so much determined by environmental concerns as by access, proximity to city centres and major employment centres, urban mobility, and affordability. And market studies reveal that Delhis homes are no cleaner than motorways when it comes to air quality, but the popular assumption is that residences are pollution-free zones. And market sentiment is based on assumptions, no matter how true or false they might be.

In fact, during the monsoon season, Mumbai is also plagued by floods, but property prices remain steady. In terms of Delhi NCR, the region has been very active. Despite a restriction on the new housing supply, housing sales have been strong.