Water sprinklers are being used to suppress dust on roads in the national capital.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR on Tuesday as air quality worsened to ‘severe’ for the first time this winter.
The enforcement of GRAP III, a set of emergency measures to curb rising air pollution, entails a prohibition on construction and demolition activities across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), as well as a ban on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.
The restrictions will take effect following orders issued by the respective State governments. Existing restrictions under the first two stages of the GRAP will also remain in effect under GRAP III.
The CAQM also announced that classes up to grade 5 will shift to hybrid mode.
“State governments to mandatorily conduct classes up to Class V in a ‘hybrid’ mode, i.e., both in physical and online mode (wherever online mode is feasible),” the commission said in a statement.
The pollution watchdog has directed the State governments to implement the restrictions without delay.
Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 428 (severe) at 4 p.m. Tuesday, up from 362 (very poor) the previous day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
A ‘severe’ pollution level affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, according to CPCB.
The air quality is expected to improve to the ‘very poor’ category by Wednesday, according to official data.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said her government will strictly enforce the new restrictions, including the shift to hybrid classes from Wednesday. She attributed the rise in air pollution to activities in Delhi’s neighbouring cities.
“When it comes to pollution, Delhi is connected with surrounding cities, and they have a huge impact on Delhi’s air pollution. The Delhi government is taking all measures with complete sincerity. Be it water sprinklers, dust mitigation, sweeping, garbage collection, or smoke control, wherever it is required,” Ms. Gupta told the media. She also conducted a review at the Secretariat to assess pollution levels. The CM said issues are being tackled in “mission mode” with no delay.
Published – November 12, 2025 01:45 am IST
