NEW DELHI: Construction activities in Delhi will be completely banned from December 10 to January 20 as part of the government’s measures to control air pollution during the winter season, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Friday.In a post on X, Gupta urged people to report violations, saying construction sites measuring more than 500 square metres would be monitored through the Delhi government’s Dust Portal and AI-enabled cameras.“Construction will be completely banned from 10 December to 20 January. If you spot any violation, inform MCD, your MLA, or me directly,” Gupta said.
AI cameras to monitor construction sites
Gupta said construction had continued at some sites during the previous winter despite the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), with work being carried out behind covers.“Last time, even under GRAP, some construction continued behind covers,” she said.This year, such sites will be monitored in real time through the Dust Portal and AI-enabled cameras. Alerts generated by the system will be sent to the government’s Control and Command Centre, Gupta said.“Notices, warnings and fines will follow,” she wrote, urging people to “inform, tag, complain and stop them”.
What is Delhi’s AI-powered Dust Portal?
The Delhi government launched Dust Portal 2.0 in July to strengthen monitoring of construction and demolition sites and improve enforcement of dust pollution-control measures.The portal, developed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, integrates GIS mapping, live 360-degree PTZ cameras, PM10 and PM2.5 sensors and AI-based analytics to monitor compliance at construction sites measuring 500 square yards or more.
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The system generates yellow, orange and red alerts based on pollution levels and enables digital issuance of compliance certificates and enforcement notices when violations are detected.The upgraded portal also provides dashboards for district-wise monitoring, pollution trends and hotspot analysis.Officials and project proponents can remotely monitor construction sites through live camera feeds, sensor data and AI-generated analysis, according to news agency PTI.
