New Delhi: More than a month after Delhi govt announced a one-time relief of Rs 10,000 for construction workers affected by Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-related curbs, only 30,183 workers — around 12.3% of the 2.46 lakh registered — have received the payment. During the winter of 2025–26, Delhi enforced the anti-pollution plan in two phases. Stage III was implemented from Nov 11–26, Dec 13–Jan 2 and from Jan 16 onwards, while Stage IV was active from Dec 13–24 and Jan 16–20. In early Dec, Delhi govt announced the relief to compensate registered workers for wage losses caused by the construction ban. At the time, Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (DBOCWWB) had 2.46 lakh registered workers. Officials said 1.6 lakh were contacted or verified, but only 30,183 were paid, amounting to around Rs 30.2 crore. Many workers were rejected for failing to respond or missing SMS verification messages, officials claimed, adding that cross-checking after verification is still underway, but the process will be completed by month-end. While officials said that a standard operating procedure was followed, workers claim the verification process was inconsistent and uneven. For Bitto, a tile worker from Mangolpuri, the ban brought his livelihood to a standstill. “When work stopped, our lives stopped too,” he said. Earning Rs 800–850 a day, Bitto and his family lived day to day. “There was no work from Nov to Dec. We had to survive by borrowing. On Jan 5, Rs 10,000 finally came, but by then the damage had already been done.” The strain was worse for families with special needs. Preeti Kushwaha, whose family includes a disabled son, said the delay pushed them into debt. “We took loans, told our landlord we couldn’t pay the Rs 3,000 rent, and cut back on food — living on just roti and rice. The departm-ent called us for verification, questioned our work and only then released the money,” said Preeti.For many, relief never came at all. Some workers said they were rejected without explanation. Krishan, a beldaari labourer, said his valid labour card didn’t help. “I got no compensation, not even an explanation. When work stops and the system turns its back, survival itself feels uncertain.”According to experts, the low payout points to systemic flaws. “If 1.6 lakh workers were verified, why were only 30,000 approved?” asked Thaneshwar Dayal Adigaur of Nirman Mazdoor Adhikar Abhiyan. “Authorities claim messages were sent, but many workers can’t read texts. A labour card is itself proof of verification. This time, the process was stretched unnecessarily,” he added.
