NEW DELHI: Worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR has led to severe economic repercussions as businesses suffered an estimated Rs 2,500 crore loss in November, according to the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI).
Poor air quality, exacerbated by stringent GRAP-4 restrictions has significantly disrupted trade, industry, and tourism, impacting various sectors, the CTI study says.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said that the ban on commercial and light vehicles has severely affected local businesses along with a sharp decline in the number of vehicles entering Delhi.
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The industry body’s president Subhash Khandelwal also echoed the same sentiments.
The retail markets have experienced a significant downturn as the city’s air quality plunged into the ‘severe’ category and the widespread news about pollution has deterred people from visiting markets also leading to decreased foot traffic.
“Approximately 3-4 lakh people from NCR visited Delhi daily for shopping before the pollution spike. This number has now dropped to about 1 lakh, causing a shift towards online shopping. With the result of this, businesses have incurred daily losses of around Rs 100 crore and totaling an estimated Rs 2,500 crore over the past month,” said Goyal.
Goyal also emphasized the negative impact on the wedding and tourism seasons, noting that over 200 events have been postponed due to hazardous air quality. The reluctance of people from outside Delhi to organize events in the city has further compounded the economic losses.
Other officials including CTI General Secretary Gurmeet Arora and Senior Vice President Deepak Garg also pointed out that the ban on construction work has delayed projects and this raises concerns over cost escalation. Additionally, workers are facing significant livelihood challenges due to the disruption.
Traders are urging authorities to address the pollution crisis urgently to prevent further economic harm. The ongoing air quality issues highlight the need for sustainable solutions to tackle pollution and safeguard both public health and the economy.
This pressing issue underscores the critical need for effective measures to improve air quality and mitigate the adverse effects on businesses and the livelihood of workers in Delhi-NCR.