HSPCB recommends closure of 34 Gurugram construction sites

HSPCB said the 34 sites failed to operationalise cameras, maintain live streaming and submit compliance reports within the five-to-seven-day window.

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has recommended the closure of 34 construction sites in Gurugram for failing to comply with CAQM-mandated air-pollution monitoring and dust-mitigation requirements, officials said on Monday.

HSPCB recommends closure of 34 Gurugram construction sites

According to officials, over 400 construction and demolition (C&D) sites in southern Gurugram were issued show-cause notices on September 10 after virtual verification found lapses in mandatory monitoring systems, including missing pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, non-functional air-quality sensors, broken live feeds and inadequate camera coverage.

The virtual verification involved cross-checking the construction sites identified on the ground against the projects registered on its portal for remote monitoring, added officials.

Officials said around 350 sites subsequently complied with the requirements, while around 50 remained non-compliant after the September 17 deadline. These sites were subjected to physical verification, following which 34 were recommended for closure. The final decision will be taken at the HSPCB headquarters level.

“Project proponents were given a window of five to seven days to operationalise the cameras, ensure continuous live streaming to the central portal, and provide compliance reports, but these 34 sites have failed to do so,” a senior HSPCB official told HT.

Under CAQM directions, construction projects with plot areas of 500 square metres (sqm) or more must register on the state dust-mitigation portal and install geo-fenced PTZ cameras and low-cost PM2.5 and PM10 sensors. The live camera feed must be integrated with HSPCB and CAQM’s Integrated Command and Control Centre in Delhi.

The latest action is part of a wider push to improve monitoring of dust-generating activities before the winter pollution season. In September, HSPCB summoned around 170 project representatives to review the functioning of web cameras, self-audit reports and fortnightly compliance certifications. The board said inspections would also examine dust screens, wind barriers, sprinklers and other mitigation measures.

The board had taken similar action earlier this year. In May, it issued notices to 58 Gurugram construction sites after finding non-functional web cameras used for dust monitoring. HSPCB subsequently imposed environmental compensation, ranging from ₹ 20,000 to ₹ 40,000 on 14 sites for failing to install or operate the required cameras.

CAQM’s 2024-25 report, released in December 2025, said its enforcement mechanism included remote monitoring of larger C&D projects and action against grossly violating sites, including closure directions.