The administration of Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Budh Nagar has decided to change work hours for school, shops, offices and factories in areas in and around Noida to bring down pollution from vehicles. The administration has been discussing this move for a month and has involved traders, factory owners, IT companies, government officials and school authorities, said GB Nagar District Magistrate NP Singh.

As part of the plan, the work timings for all the establishments have been shifted by half an hour to an hour. This, the administration believes, will reduce congestion from thousands of people trying to reach work and school at the same time. For instance, factories in Sector 1 to 6 will operate from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, sectors 7 to 11 will function from 9 am to 6 pm. Shops and commercial establishments will be asked to have their weekly holidays on either Saturday or Monday, depending on the sector they are in. Schools have also been asked to change their timings by fifteen minutes to half an hour.

The environment department conduct a study on the possible outcome of such a scheme, Singh said. The results showed that the move could bring down vehicular congestion by about 20% and decrease overall pollution levels by 30-40%, The Indian Express reported.

In June, the National Green Tribunal had suggested variable office hours for government and private sectors in Delhi to bring down traffic congestion.