The government’s air quality regulator on Saturday invoked restrictions under GRAP Stage III in the national capital territory of Delhi after air quality index (AQI) breached 400 mark at 10 am and reached the ‘severe’ zone. However, with little enforcement on the ground, such announcement may not be effective, experts said.
“Almost all the AQI stations in Delhi are showing PM 2.5 as the predominant pollutant and the AQI has been recorded as 387 at 6:00 AM, 393 at 8:00 AM and 401 at 10:00 AM today, already crossing the ‘Severe’ category mark,” the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said in a statement.
The GRAP Stage III restrictions were last invoked on November 15, but was revoked later after air quality improved with change in weather and blow of wind.
The CAQM further said that change in the wind direction/pattern since Friday and winds blowing easterly has further worsened the situation for the PM 2.5 concentrations, which is the predominant pollutant during the winter season and is on increasing trend.
“This situation of calm winds, stable atmosphere and unfavourable meteorological conditions is likely to remain for a couple of days as per the forecast from IMD/IITM,” it said.
Accordingly, keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality, the sub committee on GRAP has decided to invoke all actions under Stage-III of extant schedule of GRAP, with immediate effect in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in Delhi-NCR, in addition to the Stage I and II actions already in force, CAQM said.
The AQI of Delhi was 259 on November 10, 307 on November 11 and 349 on November 12, exhibiting a continuous increasing trend owing to very low speed wind, stable atmosphere and unfavourable weather parameters and meteorological conditions for dispersal of pollutants. It resulted in trapping of the pollutants in the region and thereby gradually increasing the AQI levels, the regulator of air quality said.
The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four stages of air quality — Stage 1 for “poor” Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging between 201 and 300, Stage 2 for “very poor” AQI of 301-400, Stage 3 for “severe” AQI of 401-450 and Stage 4 for “severe plus” AQI more than 450.
Curbs under Stage III include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, discontinuation of physical mode in schools upto class V, ban on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers and also ban on all inter-state buses (except EVs/CNG/BS-VI diesel) to enter Delhi. However, buses and tempo travellers operated with All India Tourist Permit are allowed to operate to and from Delhi.
As cold wave likely to start this month, there is need for enforcement to completely stop construction of roads and sweeping activities in polluted area, said an expert and suggested more vehicles fitted with vaccum cleaner be pressed into service.
Published on December 13, 2025
