The higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday (April 4, 2026) witnessed fresh snowfall as a spell of wet weather gripped north India, bringing rainfall to parts of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Rains and hailstorms have continued to lash the northern States intermittently this week, with wheat growers in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan staring at major losses due to crop damage.

The national capital, meanwhile, witnessed rain during the night between Friday (April 3, 2026) and Saturday (April 4, 2026) in isolated areas. However, the maximum temperature in the city dropped due to persistent cloudy conditions throughout the day.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the snowfall also led to the closure of many important inter-district roads, officials said.

The Met Office warned of brief but intense heavy showers in isolated parts, which may lead to flash floods and landslides at a few vulnerable places and waterlogging in a few low-lying areas.

Sadhna Top and other higher reaches in Kupwara, Mughal Road in Shopian, Margan Top connecting Anantnag with Kishtwar, and Razdan Top, Gurez, and Tulail in Bandipora district, received fresh overnight snowfall.

The Affarwat mountain in Gulmarg tourist resort, the Sonamarg-Zojila axis, and some other hilly areas of the valley also received snowfall.

The plains of the valley, including the summer capital Srinagar, received rains, they added.

The wet weather brought down the day temperature across the valley as people had to layer up to battle the fresh cold.

Similarly, both maximum and minimum temperatures decreased in Himachal Pradesh, with light to moderate rain and snowfall observed in several areas.

The Shimla Meteorological Office has issued an orange alert for hailstorms, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds of 40 to 50 kmph in the Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts on Tuesday (April 7, 2026) and Wednesday (April 8, 2026).

In the higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti and Kullu, fresh snowfall was witnessed over the past 24 hours since Friday (April 3, 2026) evening. The weather department also predicted a wet spell in the state till April 10.

In the national capital, the minimum temperature rose to 20.7°C, which is 1.9 degrees above normal and 1.5 degrees higher than the previous day. In contrast, the maximum temperature reached 32°C, two degrees below normal and one degree lower than the day before.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, said, “This is due to the presence of a cloud cover, as a result of which lesser heat penetrates during the day and lesser heat escapes from the earth’s surface at night.” Additionally, the air quality in Delhi showed significant improvement due to fresh showers and gusty winds the day before. The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was reported at 137 (moderate) at 4 p.m. on Saturday (April 4, 2026), compared to an AQI of 266 (poor) recorded at the same time on Friday (April 3, 2026), according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

According to CPCB standards, an AQI of 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.

In Punjab, the average maximum temperature dropped by 0.7°C compared to a day before, staying 2.6 degees below normal, while in Haryana, it saw a fall of 0.9 degree and stayed 1.8°C below normal.

Rainfall was recorded in Pathankot, Rupnagar, Amritsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur in Punjab, as well as Haryana’s Mahendragarh and Yamunanagar.

Parts of Rajasthan recorded rainfall and gusty winds over the past 24 hours due to a cyclonic circulation with more thunderstorms and hail activity forecasted for the region in the coming days, the IMD said on Saturday (April 4, 2026).

“A new and strong western disturbance is likely to become active over parts of Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions from the afternoon of April 6, leading to a high possibility of thunderstorm and rainfall activity in some areas,” the IMD said.

The impact of the cyclone is expected to peak on April 7. “Under its activity, several parts of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Jaipur, Bharatpur and Kota divisions are likely to experience strong thunderstorms, gusty winds of 50-60 kmph, moderate to heavy rainfall and isolated hailstorms,” it said. “Farmers are advised to cover harvested crops and grains kept in open areas or shift them to safe storage to prevent damage due to rain and hail,” the weather office said.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanded immediate financial assistance for farmers affected by unseasonal rain and hailstorms in parts of the State, saying the damage has caused a crisis for farmers.

“In some parts of the State, unseasonal rain and hailstorms have brought disaster upon farmers. Wheat and isabgol crops have been damaged in Bikaner division, while in Nagaur, crops like isabgol, cumin, wheat and fennel have suffered heavy losses,” he said.

The IMD on Friday (April 3, 2026) said temperatures are likely to remain below normal or near normal over most parts of the country in the next few days.

In March, eight western disturbances impacted the country, against the normal of five or six, it said.

The air quality in Delhi has shown slight deterioration this January compared to last year, with the average Air Quality Index till January 30 standing at 307, compared to 306 during the same period in 2025, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The CREA’s analysis showed that January 2025, with an average AQI of 306, was the best January when it came to air pollution since 2022, when the monthly average AQI stood at 279.

January 2026 now ranks as the second-best January since then.

In January 2026 so far, Delhi has recorded two “moderate” air quality days, 12 “poor” days, 14 “very poor” days and two “severe” days, the analysis showed.

In comparison, January 2025 had recorded two “moderate” days, 13 “poor” days and 16 “very poor” days, with no “severe” air quality days reported during the month.

The analysis indicated that the absence of “severe” days in January 2025 and the presence of two “severe” days in January this year may have contributed to the slightly higher average AQI in 2026.

The air quality early warning system has predicted “very poor” air quality for January 31.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

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New Delhi:

Dense fog engulfed Delhi and NCR on Saturday morning, prompting the Indira Gandhi International Airport and airlines to issue and advisory. IndiGo said flight schedules will be impacted, advising travellers to plan their travel accordingly.

The temperature as of 8.30 am was 11.3 degrees Celsius. As per FlightRadar24, the average delay in departures was at 26 minutes.

Delhi wrapped up a rather warm January with Friday’s maximum temperature reaching 27 degrees Celsius, making it the city’s warmest day in the month since 2019.

The month’s average maximum temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the long-period average of 20.1 degrees Celsius, marking it as Delhi’s warmest January since 2019.

Meteorologists attributed the warmer-than-usual January to the absence of strong western disturbances, which typically bring rain, lowering the temperature.

Many parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir were also enveloped with dense fog, as per  the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Forecasts suggest Delhi’s air will continue to hover in the ‘very poor’ category until February 3, with slight improvements expected thereafter.

Los Angeles County in the US has been battling devastating wildfires for the past few days. Today, half of the city is on fire. The inferno has ripped through more than 19,000 acres of Pacific Palisades and Malibu. The death toll from the wildfires has continued to climb with at least 10 people known to have died and that toll may grow. However, astonishingly, even amidst the natural calamity, LA’s air remains significantly cleaner than that of Delhi. 

The AQI in the US city was recorded at 154 today, which is far better than the air quality in the Indian capital. Delhi’s air quality continued in the “very poor” category. According to IMD, the AQI was recorded at 372 in Delhi today. 

This stark contrast highlights a troubling reality for Delhi, where poor air has become a daily struggle. Noting the same, an X user shared a side-by-side comparison of AQI recorded in Delhi and LA on Friday. “Half of LA is on fire, but the air is still cleaner than Delhi’s,” the user wrote. 

Take a look below: 

Half of LA is on fire, but the air is still cleaner than Delhi’s https://t.co/hQrRvjZFXI pic.twitter.com/AdLVYRkK4u

— Abhinav Kukreja (@kukreja_abhinav) January 9, 2025

In the comments section, several users pointed out that the air quality in LA is even better than in Mumbai. Some of them explained the cause, noting that it is because of the wind velocity and direction of it. 

“Wind direction is the cause, people burn parali in Haryana and Punjab, and effect is seen in Delhi, same wind caused havoc by supporting its spread and also protected air quality!” explained one user. “While Delhi aqi is truly awful, I don’t think the comparison with a coastal city with heavy winds is very accurate,” commented another. 

The Air Quality Index, often referred to as AQI, is a federal measure of the amount of air pollution. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good,’ 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory,’ 101 and 200 ‘moderate,’ 201 and 300 ‘poor,’ 301 and 400 ‘very poor,’ and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. 

Also Read | Pics: Losses From Deadly Wildfires Across Los Angeles Likely To Hit $60 Billion

Meanwhile, five fires are still burning in LA. A Los Angeles County fire official said an untold number of significant injuries were linked to two of the fires, and a city official in Los Angeles described Tuesday night as “one of the most devastating and terrifying” that she had seen in her corner of the city.

Nearly 180,000 people are under evacuation orders due to the wildfires. Another 200,000 residents are under evacuation warnings. 

Thousands of structures, which include homes, commercial buildings and vehicles, have been damaged or destroyed. The insured losses from this week’s fires may exceed $20 billion, and total economic losses could reach $50 billion, according to estimates published by JPMorgan on Thursday.

New Delhi:

Dense fog enveloped parts of the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) this morning, reducing visibility to zero and delaying more than 150 flights and about 26 trains.

Flight delays averaged 41 minutes, aviation website FlightRadar24 said.

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), in an update this morning, said the flight departures have been “impacted” due to dense fog.

#WATCH | Visibility reduced to zero as a blanket of dense fog witnessed in parts of Delhi-NCR

(Visuals from Rajokri area) pic.twitter.com/Pw89P7oavt

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2025

The DIAL, however, reassured travellers that CAT III-compliant flights can land and depart from the airport. 

Update issued at 05:52 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!#DelhiAirport #FogUpdate pic.twitter.com/XULkxIr9nh

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 10, 2025

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a moderate to very dense fog warning for many parts of North India, including Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Hundreds of flights and trains have been cancelled or delayed due to thick fog in the past few weeks in North India.

The capital’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 408 around 6 am, dropping to the ‘severe’ category from ‘very poor’, according to the data on the Central Pollution Control Board website.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

According to the IMD, Delhi’s minimum temperature was recorded at 9.6 degrees Celsius.

The weather agency said the capital’s maximum and minimum temperatures would hover between 6 and 20 degrees Celsius on Friday.

Grap Stage 3 In Delhi-NCR

The Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality on Thursday re-implemented stage 3 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) amid a sharp rise in air pollution levels owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

Delhi’s air pollution levels showed an increasing trend with the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) clocking 357 at 4 pm on Thursday, up from 297 on Wednesday.

The Commission for Air Quality Management, responsible for strategising air pollution mitigation in Delhi-NCR, directed authorities in the region to immediately implement curbs prescribed under stage 3 to prevent further worsening of the situation.

GRAP Stage 3, revoked on Sunday, entails a ban on non-essential construction work.

Classes up to grade V are required to shift to hybrid mode under Stage 3. Parents and students have the option to choose online education wherever available.

Under Stage 3, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars (4-wheelers) are restricted in Delhi and nearby NCR districts. Persons with disabilities are exempt.

Stage 3 also bans non-essential diesel-operated medium goods vehicles with BS-IV or older standards in the national capital.

During winters, the Delhi-NCR region enforces restrictions under GRAP, which categorises air quality into four stages – Stage I (Poor, AQI 201-300), Stage II (Very Poor, AQI 301-400), Stage III (Severe, AQI 401-450), and Stage IV (Severe Plus, AQI above 450).

New Delhi:

With an average Air Quality Index of 294, Delhi has recorded its cleanest December air since the introduction of the AQI system in 2015.

This improvement can be attributed to strong, consistent winds in the first half of the month and record-breaking rainfall in the second, officials said.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), December marked Delhi’s cleanest first half ever, with only one ‘very poor’ air day recorded between December 1 and December 15.

On Monday, the AQI stood at 173, in the “moderate” category, a significant improvement from Sunday’s 225 (poor). This marked the eighth moderate air quality day this month, with the capital previously recording no more than three moderate days in December.

The lowest AQI of this month was recorded on December 28, at 139, marking the cleanest December day on record.

The average AQI during this period stood at 238, significantly lower than the usual AQI of over 300 for this time of year.

In comparison, Delhi’s average AQI was 348 last December, 319 in 2022, and 336 in 2021. The previous lowest December AQI was 300, recorded in 2015.

Additionally, the month is set to conclude with at leats 53.5 mm of rainfall, making it the fifth-wettest December since 1901. The city also recorded its highest single-day December rainfall in 101 years, with 41.2 mm on December 28 (Friday).

This year, Delhi experienced six rainy days in December, compared to just one in 2023, none in 2022, four in 2021, and a single rainy day in December 2020.

In total, Delhi recorded 53.5 mm of rainfall this month, with 41.2 mm occurring in a single day. In contrast, December 2023 and 2022 saw no rainfall, while 2021 recorded 9.6 mm, and 2020 recorded 1.6 mm.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the highest-ever single-day rainfall in December was 75.7 mm, recorded on December 3, 1923.

While the nights were pleasant, with an average minimum temperature of 8.4 degree celsius, consistent with the long-period average (LPA) for December, the days were slightly warmer, with an average maximum temperature of 23.1 degree celsius — 0.3 notches above the LPA.

This marks the coldest December since 2021, when the average maximum temperature was 22.4 degree celsius, according to IMD officials.

Experts attributed the favourable air quality in December to the favourable dispersion of pollutants, particularly in the first two weeks of the month.

However, the third week saw a slowdown in winds, causing six severe air quality days between December 17 and 23. This was due to a western disturbance that brought added moisture, which led to stagnation in the air.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, explained that winds in early December helped disperse pollutants effectively, preventing dense fog, and maintaining relatively clean air.

On Monday, Delhis AQI stood at 173, in the “moderate” category, a significant improvement from Sunday’s 225 (poor).

This marked the eighth moderate air quality day this month, with the capital previously recording no more than three moderate days in December.

The lowest AQI of the month was recorded on December 28, at 139, marking the cleanest December day on record.

The highest AQI recorded in December was 451, which occurred on December 19.

The CPCB categorises AQI as follows: 0-50 (Good), 51-100 (Satisfactory), 101-200 (Moderate), 201-300 (Poor), 301-400 (Very Poor), and above 400 (Severe).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A thick blanket of smog is hovering over two metropolitan cities, Delhi and Mumbai, as the air quality dipped amid cold wave conditions. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 386 in the ‘very poor’ category for the second consecutive day on Sunday morning, while in Mumbai, it was 176 in the ‘moderate’ category.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.

Delhi air quality

Delhi has been yet again witnessing deteriorating air quality this week, forcing authorities to re-impose the fourth and last stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under this, all schools are shifted online and a ban is imposed on Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles. All the construction activities in the national capital are also halted.

On Monday, Delhi’s AQI breached the 400 mark and dipped into the ‘severe plus’ category. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the smoggy conditions may persist for a few more days as the cold wave in the national capital is intensifying.

The AQI on Saturday stood at 370 in the ‘very poor’ category, with the visibility dropping in the national capital. The Delhi Airport also issued an advisory for passengers saying, “Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”

Update issued at 07:20 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!#Fog#FogAlert#DelhiAirportpic.twitter.com/0AWazsi9y8

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) December 21, 2024

Mumbai air quality 

Mumbai has been witnessing its coldest winters in decades, pushing its air quality down. For the fourth consecutive day, the city was shrouded in a blanket of smog with the overall AQI touching 176. Earlier this week, the AQI also touched 199 in the ‘poor’ category.

Several citizens posted videos and pictures on social media showing the worsening air quality in Mumbai.

What’s with Mumbai. Pollution or fog. It was the same yesterday..#mumbaiweatherpic.twitter.com/mYzwdquGou

— Manda Bendre (@mabend2) December 21, 2024

Some visuals also showed the Bandra-Worli Sea Link vanished due to the smog.

New Delhi:

Delhi recorded the highest number of ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ air quality days in 2024 since the past six years, data shared by monitoring agencies said.

According to the data, a total of 207 days saw ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining below 200. The month of December recorded six ‘moderate’ air quality days so far – surpassing the previous records since 2018. The data showed that so far, December witnessed a total of eight ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ air quality days.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.

“I do feel a difference in the air…Last few weeks I’ve been cycling here but the visibility was very poor. Today, it is fairly clear,” a resident told NDTV.

Delhi’s AQI touched the ‘severe plus’ category this season post-Diwali, forcing the authorities to impose the fourth and last stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under this, all schools were shifted online and a ban was imposed on Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles. All the construction activities in the national capital were also halted.

On December 5, the Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to relax GRAP stage IV restrictions as the air quality improved. Since then, the AQI in the national capital has been reeling between ‘poor’ to ‘moderate’.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the ‘poor’ category today, with the AQI at 246 in the morning. On Saturday, it was measured at 212.

New Delhi:

Chandni Chowk was among the least polluted spots in Delhi on Monday and Tuesday, data provided by pollution monitoring bodies showed, as the overall air quality in the national capital improved to the “poor” category – after a month-long spell of “very poor” and “severe” categories – three days ago.

One of Delhi’s oldest and busiest markets, and a tourist hub, Chandni Chowk recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 186 (moderate) at 8am on Monday, according to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) that set up a monitoring station in the area.

On Tuesday, the AQI oscillated in the 250-270 bracket during the day, under the “poor” category.

Other areas in the city, however, mostly recorded an air quality that remained under the “very poor” category. At 4pm on Tuesday, Shadipur recorded an AQI of 324, Anand Vihar 311 and Mundka 310, according to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board. Data for other areas for Monday was not immediately available.

Overall, the national capital recorded an AQI of 285 on Sunday, 280 on Monday and 268 on Tuesday – all of which fall under the “poor” category.

Authorities and experts said the primary reason behind the relatively low AQI in Chandni Chowk was the absence of motor vehicles in the area.

In 2021, the Delhi transport department had notified the area, which was then under development, as a non-motorised zone. According to the notification, no motor vehicle shall be allowed to ply on the main Chandni Chowk Road from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Mosque from 9 am to 9 pm on all days. Currently, only cycle rickshaws are permitted in the area. However, the restrictions shall not be applicable in the case of emergencies.

“The restriction on vehicles in Chandni Chowk does help solve the pollution problem. Only vehicles carrying essential goods are permitted. The ban on BS3 and BS4 vehicles (having high emissions) has also helped keep a check on the pollution. But this is a collective effort. Just curbing vehicular movement will not help,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic Headquarters) Satya Vir Katara said.

Dr Sachin Ghude, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, which set up the air quality monitoring station in Chandni Chowk, also attributed the improved air quality to the traffic curbs in the area. “I think this is the best example of how you manage the traffic, and if you create a non-motorised zone, you will have an improvement in the AQI,” he said.

A study by the Centre for Science and Environment last month said 51.5% of the pollution in the national capital is caused by transport and vehicular emission.

Dr MP George, a former scientist at Delhi Pollution Control Committee, said: “…Only if there is a consistent downward trend, can it be considered a legitimate improvement in the air quality.”

New Delhi:

“When they stop our work, we don’t just lose the wages. It’s the food on our plates and the little we try to save for our children’s future,” says Raju Singh, a mason from Bihar.

He was one of thousands of migrant and local construction workers rendered jobless following the November 11 ban on constructions, prompted by the Delhi-NCR’s air quality plunging to hazardous levels.

More such bans are likely to follow throughout the winter. While that is good news for the city’s residents, the story is different for these construction workers.

“Even though working in the polluted air makes it hard for us to breathe, I would rather work than sit idle,” Raju Singh says, describing the crushing blow the restrictions have on his finances.

These trysts with work stoppages have become an annual affair for him, and hundreds of others like him.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) — a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region — implements anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Introduced in 2017 and implemented on the basis of Air Quality Index (AQI) readings, GRAP I and II (AQI 201-400) focus on advisories, dust control, and restricting diesel generators. Under GRAP-III (AQI 401-450), all non-essential construction and entry of vehicles into the city are banned. GRAP-IV (AQI above 450) halts all construction, bans non-essential trucks and BS-IV diesel vehicles, and advises work-from-home.

Dr Sarath Guttikunda, the founder and director of UrbanEmissions.Info, shared a study in which he reviewed Delhi’s air pollution from 1990-2022 and found that construction-related work plays a significant part in the dust category, accounting for 10-30 per cent of the pollution.

Construction activities were banned for 20 days in 2021 and 35 days in 2022. Last year, non-essential construction work was banned for 26 days, and the outlook for this year appears similarly grim.

Ajay Kumar (34), another mason from Bihar, was also rendered jobless when the GRAP curbs were implemented.

To support his family, he started working as a helper at a vegetable shop, earning less than a third of his usual income.

An unskilled labourer, Rina Devi (40) shares a similar story. She switched to stitching clothes for neighbours on an old sewing machine, earning a fraction of her regular wages.

“It was the only way to make money. The income was meagre but it allowed us to pay for food and basic necessities,” she says.

Sujit, a labourer from West Bengal describes how such consecutive bans trap them in a vicious debt cycle.

“When work stops, we’ve to borrow money at high interest. When work resumes, most of our earnings go into paying off the debt,” he says.

Sujit moved to Delhi to escape climate change-induced flooding in his village, only to run into a form of crisis caused by the activities responsible for the climate change he was escaping from — construction and industry.

Most of Delhi-NCR’s estimated 13 lakh construction workers consists of migrants from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Driven by the promise of high wages, they often bring their families, setting up temporary shelters at the construction sites, and inadvertently creating conditions for another major problem — child labour.

Now 12, Kajal has spent her entire life moving from one worksite to another, never been to school and worked in construction from the age of 10.

“We move around the city for work,” she says during a break from carrying stones up the floors of a Greater Noida worksite.

Drawn by the promise of high wages, her family relocated from Jharkhand, only to find themselves struggling to make ends meet each winter.

On top of the blanket construction bans, other GRAP measures significantly limit employment opportunities during winters. Skilled workers are prioritised for the few available jobs, leaving unskilled labourers like Shalini Singh, a 35-year-old mother of two, with little to no work.

She had been working at a site in Delhi’s Haiderpur, trying to save every rupee for these lean months.

Her husband, who struggles with alcoholism, contributes little, leaving her solely responsible for her children’s upbringing.

“Every year, I know work will stop. So I save as much as I can,” she says.

But with her children growing older, managing expenses on an irregular income is becoming harder.

“I dream of giving my daughter a different life,” she says. “She wants to be an architect but how can I pay for her studies if I have no regular work for four or five months?” Women like Shalini Singh, who take on labour-intensive but low-paying jobs carrying bricks or breaking rocks, are among the worst affected.

“Women in construction are often categorised as unskilled labour and are paid less than men,” says Shashi Kaur, a social worker with CFAR, an NGO which assists workers register for job cards.

“When work stops, they have few resources to fall back on,” she adds.

As on October 1, Delhi’s minimum wage for unskilled workers is Rs 18,066 a month. This is significantly higher than in nearby states and the disparity leads to even more families migrating to the national capital.

However, the higher wage means little when there is no work. When the restrictions are finally lifted, the poor air quality endangers workers’ health.

Dr Sajjad Khan, who works in a mohalla clinic, said he got the most patients during winter and they came with pollution-related ailments.

He said exposure to such high pollution levels might cause long-term respiratory ailments.

But for many workers, the immediate need for money outweighs the potential health consequences.

Although the Delhi government has welfare schemes for construction workers, accessing these benefits is a challenge for many.

A fund managed by the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board provides financial aid to non-migrant workers but registrations dropped from four lakh in 2023 to 81,000 now, a senior official said.

A Delhi Pollution Control Committee official said the seasonal construction bans under GRAP were crucial for protecting public health and combating the hazardous pollution levels.

Acknowledging the construction workers’ hardships, he said efforts were on to improve the registration processes to ensure broader access.

“The government is also exploring supplementary measures, such as financial aid, to mitigate the bans’ impact,” he added.

But many workers PTI spoke to said registering meant filling lengthy forms that they were not educated enough to do.

As Delhi grapples with pollution, construction workers brace themselves for a winter of uncertainty.

“We don’t ask for much — just enough to feed our families. We need work so our children can have a good life,” says Shalini Singh. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)