Delhi Imposes Stage III GRAP Restrictions as Air Quality Plummets

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) as a precautionary measure to prevent further deterioration of local air quality. Although the city's overall Air Quality Index stood at 382 to 389 in the very poor category, multiple monitoring stations recorded severe air quality levels ahead of the upcoming festival.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board highlighted alarming readings across various areas. Stations at IIT Delhi and Rohini both recorded an AQI of 474, followed by Punjabi Bagh at 465, RK Puram at 443, ITO at 422, Firoz Shah Road at 420, and India Gate at 403. Residents reported experiencing physical discomfort, including breathing difficulties, anxiety, and severe eye irritation due to the heavy smog blanket.

The emergency action plan covers Delhi alongside adjoining districts in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Its implementation is guided by forecasts from the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, enabling regional authorities to introduce stricter regulations before the citywide index crosses the severe threshold of 401.

Under the newly enacted Stage III restrictions, strict bans are enforced on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers across Delhi and designated NCR districts. Furthermore, limitations have been tightened on older light and medium goods vehicles, as well as non-Delhi-registered diesel commercial vehicles attempting to enter the capital.

Construction and demolition activities that generate significant dust—such as major excavations, earthwork, boring, stone crushing, and road construction—have been officially suspended. Essential public projects are permitted to continue only under strict compliance with rigorous dust-mitigation protocols. Industrial operations and mining activities in the entire NCR also face immediate closure.

To protect vulnerable populations, particularly children and the elderly, educational authorities are permitted to shift primary classes up to Class 5 to a hybrid learning format combining physical classrooms with online instruction. Meanwhile, municipal authorities have deployed truck-mounted water sprinklers and are increasing public transportation frequency by adding Metro trips and extra buses to discourage private vehicle use.

Political figures have traded accusations regarding the root causes of the crisis. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann misled the public regarding paddy harvesting and stubble burning, citing government data indicating that 77 percent of the stubble has already been incinerated and significantly contributing to the toxic smog.

GRAP operates as a four-stage emergency framework, where measures become progressively stricter as pollution levels worsen. Authorities emphasize that the activation of Stage III serves as a critical circuit-breaker designed to target particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, thereby preventing air quality from escalating into the dangerous Stage IV severe-plus territory.