Exempt construction sites in Delhi-NCR from GRAP bans, Credai urges govt

NOIDA: The umbrella of builders - Credai - has sought exemption from the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for construction activity.
In a letter to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, the realtors' body in NCR noted that construction activity had stopped four times since October, but the AQI level was still bad.
The builders tried to drive home the point that the ban on construction did not have much bearing on pollution levels. It said that for large sites, construction activity, once stopped, took 15-30 days to resume and resulted in huge losses for the entire industry and ancillaries.
According to the norms, once pollution turns "severe", stage 3 of the GRAP is implemented. The authorities then enforce a ban on construction and demolition activities in NCR, but it does not extend to essential projects.
Credai members said the ban on construction activities is not recognised by UP-Rera and development authorities. So, real estate companies don't even get a 'time extension' benefit against 'time-loss', delay in construction, and delayed possession to homebuyers, attracting a 'delay penalty' at the time of possession.
Credai members demanded that the Rera-registered projects be considered public interest projects, adding that they strictly follow government norms to keep pollution under control and ensure proper compliance through the use of anti-smog guns, windbreakers, coverings on building material, regular water sprinkling on mud and washing raw-material carrier tyres, etc.
They added that activities, except demolition, excavation and dry stone cutting, do not cause any pollution and even if those cause a "little bit" of pollution, it is within 5 to 10 m inside the construction site and does not pollute the entire city.
"Activities, which cause pollution, should be allowed periodically from February to November. It should be communicated to everyone that demolition, excavation and dry stone cutting will not be allowed in December and January so that everyone involved in these particular activities remains mentally prepared and could divert their bandwidth towards other areas. This sudden, shocking instruction of construction ban could be avoided that way," said Manoj Gaur, Credai (NCR) president.
"The first impact of this ban is directly on the labourers working on construction sites. When they face unemployment due to frequent bans on construction in Delhi NCR, they go back to their respective states, which, apart from causing distress to them, delays the possession of flats by homebuyers," he added.