Ggm: Construction work resumes as Grap norms relaxed

Gurugram: With the Supreme Court relaxing Stage III and IV of Graded Action Response Plan (Grap) norms in Delhi- NCR on Thursday, work at several construction sites in and around Gurugram which had been banned has started resuming gradually. GMDA officials on Friday said that they have issued directions to officials and contractors to mobilise construction teams on the ground to restart the work of road construction and road repairs, which had been put on hold due to a ban on construction activities under Grap norms.

Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) officials said that they have asked contractors to mobilise labourers as soon as possible so that construction work can be started. “I have directed officials and contractors to start repair and construction work of roads which was put on hold. The norms laid under Grap will still be followed at the sites to control dust,” said Arun Dhankhar, chief engineer, GMDA.

Contractors, who are working for government and private sites, meanwhile, said that a large number of workers have left for their native villages due to ban on construction and it will take some time before normal construction activities can be resumed. “It will take some time to resume construction as a lot of workers have left for villages,” said a contractor, who didn’t wish to be identified.

Rajender Saroha, district secretary, Bhawan Nirman Kamgar union, said that the government should create a system for providing shelter and food to construction worker when such bans are imposed due to pollution or due to extreme temperatures. “Construction workers need shelter and for this industrial housing clusters should be made. A lot of workers have left for their homes and it will take time for them to return,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Gurugram district administration on Friday said that while Grap norms under Stage III and IV have been relaxed, the authorities will enforce the norms under Stages I and II and there shall be a ban on operation of diesel gensets and other activities listed under these norms. “The pollution department teams and those under urban local bodies will keep enforcing the Grap norms and prevent violations. Dust control measures will have to be ensured at construction sites and no violation will be allowed,” said Ajay Kumar, deputy commissioner, Gurugram.

Kumar also said that air quality had improved in the city in the past few days, which led to relaxing of Grap norms. On Friday, Gurugram recorded an Air Quality Index of 168, which was in the ‘moderate’ category, as per the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board.