The Delhi Government has ordered that all primary schools shift to hybrid mode for classes. There is also a ban on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel light motor vehicles as well as all demolition work and mining activities in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) among the restrictions that have kicked in again in Delhi owing to the worsening air pollution, as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday invoked restrictive measures under Stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) amid a sharp dip in air quality due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, often persists from November to January.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi stood at 379 on Monday. However, this is only the second ‘very poor’ air day in the Capital this month, in what has been a fairly clean December overall. The AQI had already entered the “very poor” category on Sunday, climbing to 307 from 294 earlier in the day, which was at the upper limit of the “poor” range.
Under the GRAP-Stage III guidelines, several key restrictions will come into effect. Petrol vehicles that do not meet the BS-III emission norms and diesel vehicles failing to comply with BS-IV standards are prohibited from entering Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR), including Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. These measures aim to reduce vehicular emissions, which are a major source of pollution during the winter months. Delhi Traffic Police has also intensified checks on vehicles following the implementation of restrictive measures under GRAP-Stage III. There are over 10 entry points from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. The BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles will not be allowed to enter into the city.
“Considering the highly unfavourable meteorological conditions including calm winds and very low mixing height leading the AQI of Delhi into the higher end of the very poor category, the panel’s sub-committee on Graded Response Action Plan decides to impose Stage 3 of the revised GRAP schedule (issued on Friday) in the entire NCR, with immediate effect,” an official order said.
According to the revised GRAP plan, non-essential diesel light commercial vehicles of BS-IV or older standards, registered outside Delhi, are also not allowed to enter the city. Construction and demolition activities which generate dust leading to air pollution are restricted. Additionally, the ban on construction work extends to all non-essential projects, though exceptions are made for national security, healthcare, and specific public infrastructure projects. To further combat the pollution, the authorities have ramped up efforts to suppress dust by deploying mechanised road-sweeping and water-sprinkling machines across the city.
As a result, schools and colleges in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar are mandatorily required to shift classes up to Class V to hybrid mode under GRAP Stage III. Students and parents will have the option to choose online education wherever it is available. Diesel generator sets, another significant contributor to air pollution, will be restricted to emergency use only during this phase.
Areas like Alipur, Anand Vihar, Bawana, and Burari Crossing saw AQI levels ranging from 350 to 397, indicating hazardous air quality. Other parts of Delhi, including Dwarka Sec 8, Nehru Nagar, and Rohini, recorded AQI levels above 370, far exceeding the “very poor” category and pushing the air into “severe” territory. Shallow fog with a minimum visibility of around 800 metres was observed across the Capital, as Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category.
“The Sub-Committee for GRAI’] in its meeting held on December 16,2024 comprehensively reviewed the air quality scenario in the region as well as the IMD and llTM forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index of Delhi and observed as under: “AQI of Delhi has crossed the 350 mark and is showing an increasing trend on 16. 12.2024 owing to extremely calm wind conditions and buildup of an inversion layer adversely affecting the vertical mixing height. Forecasts from IMD and IITM also indicate a likelihood of the AQI to remain in the higher end of “Very Poor” category owing to the continued adverse meteorological conditions”.
Even if the AQI forecasts do not indicate the AQI of Delhi to be breaching a particular threshold and under extreme meteorological conditions or due to any episodic event the AQI breaches the threshold, that particular Stage of the GRAP shall be invoked with immediate effect in respect of actions / measures that can be invoked immediately
Previously, such restrictions were applicable only to BS-III vehicles. Persons with disabilities are exempt from restrictions imposed on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars in Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar under Stage III. The Delhi and NCR state governments have also been directed to stagger timings for public offices and municipal bodies under Stage III. The Centre may decide on similar staggered timings for central Government offices in Delhi-NCR.
The CAQM also advised people to walk or use cycles for small distances, choose a cleaner commute, share a ride to work or use public transport. It further advised people whose positions allow working from home, may work from home.
The Government will also intensify the frequency of mechanised sweeping of roads and ensure daily water-sprinkling along with dust suppressants, added the official statement. During winters, Delhi frequently enforces restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which categorises air quality into four stages: Stage I (Poor) with AQI between 201 and 300, Stage II (Very Poor) between 301 and 400, Stage III (Severe) between 401 and 450, and Stage IV (Severe Plus) for AQI above 450.
