Delhi-NCR Under GRAP Stage III As Air Turns Severe Before Diwali

Traffic under a hazy sky. Older petrol and diesel cars are now banned from Delhi-NCR roads under GRAP Stage III. (Representative photo: Pexels)

Delhi-NCR woke up to its toughest air of the season on Friday, as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the region. The emergency curbs were announced on Friday evening, just two days before Diwali, with the capital recording its worst pre-festival air in eight years.

AQI Nears Severe As Smog Thickens

Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 382 at 4 pm on Friday, placing it in the 'very poor' category, while several monitoring stations breached the 400-mark into 'severe' territory. Fine particulate matter, PM2.5, peaked at around 280 micrograms per cubic metre — the highest pre-festival baseline recorded since 2019.

Forecasts warn that the air could slip further into the severe category over the next two days, as calm winter winds, falling temperatures and festive-season emissions combine to trap pollutants close to the ground.

Older Cars Off The Roads

The sharpest curbs fall on vehicles, one of the biggest contributors to the capital's dirty air. Under GRAP Stage III, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers cannot ply in Delhi or in the high-density NCR districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida). Vehicles adapted for persons with disabilities are exempt.

The restrictions also cover goods traffic. Non-essential diesel-operated medium goods vehicles with BS-IV or older engines are barred within Delhi, out-of-state diesel goods vehicles cannot enter the capital, and inter-state diesel buses that do not meet BS-VI standards are barred from entering or operating in Delhi.

Construction Halted, Schools Go Hybrid

Non-essential construction and demolition work has been banned across Delhi-NCR, and diesel generator sets are prohibited except for emergency and essential services. Primary schools have been directed to switch to hybrid learning for children up to Class V, so that younger students are not forced to travel through the smog every day.

These measures add to a preventive order issued by CAQM earlier, which halved office attendance in Delhi-NCR from 5 to 20 November. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has urged residents to follow the rules, calling it a collective responsibility to fight pollution.

What GRAP Stage III Means

GRAP is a four-stage emergency framework that tightens as air quality worsens: Stage I for 'poor' air (AQI 201-300), Stage II for 'very poor' (301-400), Stage III for 'severe' (401-450) and Stage IV for 'severe plus' (above 450). Stage III is invoked preemptively, when the AQI is projected to cross into the severe band.

The curbs will remain in force until the CAQM reviews the situation, and officials say they can be tightened further if the air deteriorates.

Conclusion

With Diwali just two days away, Delhi-NCR faces a difficult weekend. Fireworks, stubble burning in neighbouring states and still winter air are all expected to add to the load, even as the new curbs try to cut it. For now, the message for residents is simple: check your vehicle's emission standard before driving, keep outdoor exertion limited, and wear a mask when stepping out is unavoidable.

Do you think the GRAP Stage III curbs will be enough to keep Delhi's air breathable this Diwali, or should firecracker sales face a complete ban? Share your view in the comments.