Projects in Delhi-NCR will be delayed by the Construction Ban

Project completion is predicted to be delayed by at least two to three months during a one-month construction moratorium.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has activated stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes a restriction on all non-essential construction and demolition operations in Delhi-NCR, due to the air quality in the national capital region declining to severe' levels.

Real estate developers responded to the decision by stating that it would affect both builders and homebuyers, as a one-month construction ban often causes a project to be delayed by at least two to three months. They further stated that while enforcing air pollution laws, the government should take a case-by-case approach and regulate the primary sources of pollution, which are vehicle emissions and roadside dust.

The air quality index (AQI) for Delhi at 5 p.m. on November 2, 2023, was 402. In addition to prohibiting non-essential building and demolition operations, GRAP-III forbids the entry of trucks, medium and heavy cargo vehicles registered outside of Delhi, and diesel light commercial vehicles (LCVs) (except for those engaged in the provision of vital services).

GRAP action is contingent upon four pollution stages: AQI 201-300 for Stage I, AQI 301-400 for Stage II, AQI 301-400 for Stage III, AQI 401-450 for Stage IV, and AQI above 450 for Stage IV, referred to as "severe plus."

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI)-National Chairman, Manoj Gaur, stated that while the real estate industry has some qualms, it supports the government's efforts to reduce growing pollution.

The completion of the project will be delayed by at least two to three months if development is prohibited for one month. Although blanket prohibitions address pollution, the real estate industry is worried that they could raise project prices and negatively impact construction workers' livelihoods, Gaur told Moneycontrol.

Despite these difficulties, he claimed, developers deliberately reduce pollution by installing anti-smog equipment and routinely sprinkling water.

In light of the fact that developers who adhere to pollution control criteria shouldn't be subject to needless limitations, he continued, authorities should take a case-by-case approach.

Furthermore, we suggest that projects (commercial and residential buildings) registered under the RERA should be regarded as public interest projects and free from regulations pertaining to pollution management. This strategy seeks to strike a compromise between the need to maintain building activity and environmental concerns, as well as to preserve project timetables and secure the interests of developers and homebuyers, according to Gaur.

Purchasers' perspectives

The Noida Federation of Flat Owners Associations (NOFAA) president, Rajiva Singh, stated that in order to have clean air, "quick, sustainable solutions" must be found.

"Although these restrictions are required to regulate the quality of the air, they would further impede the progress of already delayed home developments.

The sad thing is that despite the government's annual promises, there has never been any progress made towards lowering pollution levels. The political will to identify long-term fixes is lacking, according to Singh.

Gurugram resident Adwitiya Sharma stated that he has invested in a project that is being developed next, the Dwarka Motorway. This change would cause the project, which is already behind schedule, to be further delayed.

Although it was supposed to be finished by July of this year, I still haven't received my flat. The delivery of my flat will be further delayed by the CAQM construction activity ban, Sharma stated.