Delhi-NCR Imposes Strict Curbs as Air Quality Turns Severe

The Commission for Air Quality Management invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region as unfavorable weather conditions caused air quality levels to sharply deteriorate into the severe category.

Under the newly enacted restrictions, authorities have banned the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers across designated areas of the capital region. The measures also prohibit the movement of medium and heavy diesel goods vehicles, alongside a strict halt on non-essential construction and demolition activities.

Environmental expert Priti noted that air pollution is frequently treated as a seasonal issue rather than a year-round crisis, pointing out that existing bans have not adequately reduced the total number of vehicles on the road. Priti also emphasized that persistent gaps in last-mile public transit connectivity continue to drive commuters toward personal cars.

Offering a broader perspective on the contributing factors, Mohan D George of the Centre for Science and Environment stated that monitoring equipment measures exact pollutant concentrations rather than a calculated air quality index. George questioned the heavy emphasis on agricultural stubble burning, arguing that fires have steadily declined over time and that local sources such as vehicular emissions, road dust, and biomass burning play a significant role.

Additional precautionary rules accompanying the Stage III restrictions mandate that schools and colleges across Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar transition classes up to Class V to a hybrid format. Furthermore, state governments in the region have been instructed to stagger working hours for public offices and municipal bodies to help manage traffic and emissions.

The Graded Response Action Plan structures air pollution into distinct tiers, designating Stage III when the index reaches severe levels between 401 and 450. Officials and experts continue to monitor local weather patterns and emissions data as the region adapts to the stringent emergency protocols.