Thousands of daily-wage labourers in Delhi are facing severe hunger and joblessness after authorities suspended all construction work to combat hazardous winter smog.
Local authorities ordered a halt to various construction and demolition activities from November 5 to 20, while stricter Level III measures took effect on November 6, AsiaNews reported. The annual winter shutdown aims to reduce fine particulate matter in the Indian capital. Yet the policy strikes hardest at informal workers who lack savings or paid leave.
“If there’s no work, there’s no food,” said Ranjan, a 28-year-old construction labourer residing in the capital alongside his relatives, when describing conditions in the metropolis following the halt imposed on building sites.
The restrictions have left 60 to 70 percent of daily-wage construction workers in Gurugram and Manesar without employment, according to the Indian Express. Many labourers are also awaiting payment for completed work.
Accounts compiled by The Wire across Delhi’s lower-income districts provide a broader picture of these vulnerable circumstances. Ranjan explained that he lives on about 500 rupees a day while spending 4,500 rupees a month just on rent and electricity. After several days without work, his family borrowed money to cover basic expenses.
Other workers reported they can no longer afford water, food, or rent. One employee mentioned going three days without food so his wife and kids could have at least one meal. While workers face polluted air on job sites without adequate protection, halting operations to safeguard public health cuts off their only source of income.
Accessing government support remains difficult for much of the capital’s construction workforce. Workers can register with state Welfare Boards to obtain benefits funded by a sector levy, but many migrant labourers remain unregistered.
The Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board website showed approximately 215,000 active cards in Delhi as of November 2026. Per data from The Hindu, this figure falls well below the approximately one million building employees documented as enrolled in the city as of May 2022.
Eligible workers also face administrative barriers. Some labourers reported that the Welfare Board’s online portal blocked new registrations and renewals for months.
The Supreme Court intervened to mandate a subsistence allowance for construction workers during work stoppages caused by Level III anti-pollution measures. In December 2025, the Delhi government announced a payment of 10,000 rupees for affected workers.
Authorities said that approximately 100,000 workers received the subsidy, totaling nearly a billion rupees in expenditures. However, a labour union reported that about 1,700 workers still awaited payment, and some labourers alleged they had to pay bribes to secure the funds.
The restrictions heavily impact migrant workers from states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, whose families rely on remittances sent from Delhi.
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