Delhi Govt Announces New Office Hours as Pollution Hits Dangerous Levels

The Delhi government has announced new office timings for all government offices starting November 15, 2025. Offices will now operate from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The decision was made after a sharp rise in pollution levels across the city. The main goal is to protect employees from the most polluted early morning hours and reduce peak-hour traffic, which contributes heavily to emissions.
The city’s air quality has been getting worse over the past few weeks. During the early morning, pollution levels are at their highest because the cold winter air traps pollutants close to the ground. Dust from construction, vehicle smoke, and industrial emissions build up quickly. By delaying office hours, the government hopes to limit outdoor exposure during these peak pollution hours and spread out morning traffic to ease congestion.
Recent monitoring confirms Delhi’s air quality is deeply concerning.

• According to one monitoring source, on 13 November 2025, the AQI in parts of Delhi peaked at 654 at ~7 a.m., and the lowest in the afternoon (~4 p.m.) was still around 276 – firmly in the “severe/hazardous” range.
• Historical data for the past 30 days show daytime peaks between 6–9 a.m. averaged around 359 AQI, with the “lowest” daytime values around 195 AQI (in the 3-4 p.m. window) — still very poor.
• As of early evening 13 Nov, one site in Delhi recorded an AQI of 380 (Hazardous) with PM2.5 at ~264 µg/m³ and PM10 ~353 µg/m³.
• Forecasts from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) suggest air quality will remain in the Very Poor to Severe category from 14–16 November.

In plain terms: Delhi is already breathing extremely contaminated air. Many hours and days this year are rated “Unhealthy,” “Very Poor,” or “Severe.” And as winter deepens, conditions trend worse — cold stable air, more biomass and crop-burning emissions from surrounding states, and more vehicular and construction dust all add up.

• With AQIs in the 300-600+ range, health experts classify this as Hazardous air quality — almost everyone may begin to experience adverse health effects, and prolonged exposure can lead to serious conditions (especially for children, the elderly, or those with pre-existing lung or heart disease).
• By shifting office hours, the government is signalling that even for healthy adults, the early-morning commute and exposures are considered risky. It also signals to private-sector employers to consider adopting similar staggered timings.
• The measure is only one component of broader efforts: earlier this week the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) triggered Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) as Delhi’s AQI breached the “Severe” threshold.

Experts believe this is a useful short-term step but not a solution. The real problem lies in sources of pollution such as vehicles, stubble burning in nearby states, construction dust, and industrial smoke. Unless these are controlled, air quality will not improve in the long run. Many private companies are also allowing work-from-home options to help reduce traffic on the roads.