Stricter Pollution Curbs Under GRAP-III Imposed In Delhi-NCR Ahead Of Diwali

Ahead of Diwali, air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region has dropped, triggering the Stage-III restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

This comes after Stage-II restrictions were imposed in Delhi and the NCR region on November 02, when AQI reached 382.

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The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has applied the Stage-III restrictions across the entire NCR with immediate effect as a precautionary measure, after Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 382 on Thursday, placing it in the “very poor” category.

"I urge the residents of Delhi that starting tomorrow, the weather is going to worsen further, and winds are expected to come to a complete standstill, which will cause the AQI to rise even higher, as the Meteorological Department forecasts near-zero wind movement. Therefore, let us all cooperate in strictly enforcing these rules. Only by working together and supporting each other can Delhi be cleaned up," Delhi's Environment Manjinder Singh Sirsa said in a video posted on social media platform X.

GRAP is a set of emergency measures to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR, with the restrictions growing stricter as air quality worsens. It has four stages, each linked to a pollution level:

• Stage I is triggered when air quality is “poor” (AQI 201-300)
• Stage II applies when it turns “very poor” (AQI 301-400)
• Stage III comes into force when it reaches “severe” (AQI 401-450)
• Stage IV when it hits “severe plus” (AQI above 450).

GRAP-III restrictions include a complete ban on non-essential construction and demolition work, such as earthwork, piling, trenching and open-air operations of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants.

BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers are barred from running on roads in Delhi and neighbouring NCR districts, and inter-state diesel buses are restricted from entering or operating in the capital.

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The restrictions also include a ban on transporting construction materials such as sand and cement, especially on unpaved roads, and the closure of stone crushers, mining operations, and hot-mix plants that do not run on clean fuel. Diesel generator sets are prohibited except for emergency and essential services.

Private companies have been advised to adopt work-from-home or hybrid modes to curb vehicular emissions. Schools up to Class 5 are to remain closed, with classes shifted online to protect young children from toxic air.