Today, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) breached the 350 mark as the AQI of the day clocked 386 as per the Daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In wake of deteriorating air quality of Delhi, the Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas called on a meeting today to review the air quality scenario and forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/IITM.

Noting the sudden spike in the AQI of Delhi, the Sub-Committee on GRAP in its today’s meeting, reviewed the air quality scenario in the region as well as forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index and observed as under:

• The AQI of Delhi for 14.01.2025 which reported as 275, exhibited a sharp increasing trend on 15.01.2025 and logging the AQI of 386 owing to dense foggy conditions and low temperatures leading to extremely low mixing height & ventilation coefficient for dispersion of pollutants.

• The Sub-Committee further analysed the air quality scenario and noted that AQI has increased to 393 at 5:00 PM and 396 at 6:00 PM respectively owing to sharply increasing trend of pollutant concentrations due to unfavorable conditions. AQI is further likely to breach the 400 mark as predicted by IMD/ IITM.

Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the Sub-Committee today has taken the call to straightaway invoke all actions under Stage-III (‘Severe' Air Quality of Delhi) & also Stage-IV (‘Severe+' Air Quality of Delhi) of extant Schedule of GRAP, with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. This is in addition to the actions under Stages I & II of revised GRAP already in-force in NCR. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP including Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR and DPCC have also been addressed to ensure strict implementation of actions under Stage-III and Stage-IV of revised GRAP in addition to actions under Stages I & II of GRAP during this period.

Accordingly, 9-point action plan as per Stage-III and 7-point action plan as per Stage-IV of revised GRAP schedule is applicable with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. The actions include steps to be implemented/ ensured by different agencies including Pollution Control Boards of NCR and DPCC.

Steps under Stage-III of revised GRAP include:

1. Construction & Demolition activities:

(i) Enforce strict restrictions on the following categories of dust generating/ air pollution causing C&D activities in the entire NCR:

• Earthwork for excavation and filling including boring & drilling works.
• Piling works.
• All demolition works.
• Laying of sewer line, water line, drainage and electric cabling etc. by open trench system.
• Brick / masonry works.
• Operation of RMC batching plant.
• Major welding and gas-cutting operations. Minor welding activities for MEP works (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) to be, however, permitted. 
• Painting, polishing and varnishing works etc.
• Cement, Plaster / other coatings, except for minor indoor repairs/ maintenance.
• Cutting / grinding and fixing of tiles, stones and other flooring materials, except for minor indoor repairs/ maintenance.
• Road construction activities and major repairs.
• Transfer, loading / unloading of dust generating materials like cement, fly-ash, bricks, sand, murram, pebbles, crushed stone etc. anywhere within / outside the project sites.
• Movement of vehicles carrying construction materials on unpaved roads.
• Any transportation of demolition waste.

 

(ii) All construction related activities, other than those listed under 1(i) above, which are relatively less polluting / less dust generating shall be permitted to be continued in the NCR, subject to strict compliance of the C&D Waste Management Rules, dust prevention/ control norms including compliance with the directions of the Commission issued from time to time.

(iii) All C&D related activities, including those under 1(i) above, shall be continued to be permitted only for the following categories of projects, however subject to strict compliance of the C&D Waste Management Rules, dust prevention/ control norms including compliance with the directions of the Commission issued from time to time:

1. Projects for Railway services and stations
2. Projects for Metro Rail Services and stations
3. Airports and Inter State Bus Terminals
4. National security/ defence related activities/ projects of national importance
5. Hospitals/ health care facilities
6. Linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission/ distribution, pipelines, tele-communication services etc.
7. Sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply projects etc.
8. Ancillary activities, specific to and supplementing the above project categories.

2. Close down operations of stone crushers in the entire NCR.
3. Close down all mining and associated activities in the entire NCR.
4. NCR State Govts. / GNCTD to impose strict restrictions on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel LMVs (4 wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.

Note: Persons with Disabilities shall be permitted to ply BS – III Petrol / BS – IV Diesel LMVs, provided that these are specifically adopted for them and are run only for their personal use.

5. GNCTD to impose strict restrictions on plying of Delhi - registered Diesel operated Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) to BS-IV standards or below, in Delhi, except those vehicles carrying essential commodities / providing essential services.
6. GNCTD to not permit BS-IV and below diesel operated LCVs (goods carriers) registered outside Delhi, to enter Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities / providing essential services.
7.  

(i) State Govts. in the NCR and the GNCTD to mandatorily conduct classes in schools for children up to class V in a “Hybrid” mode i.e., both in physical and online mode (wherever online mode is feasible) in the territorial jurisdiction of the NCT of Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

(ii) The NCR State Governments may also consider conducting classes for students up to Class V in a “Hybrid” mode as above in other areas in NCR.

Note: The option to exercise the online mode of education, wherever available, shall vest with the students and their guardians.

8.  

(i) GNCTD and NCR State Governments to stagger timings for public offices and municipal bodies in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

(ii) State Governments may take a decision to stagger timings for public offices and municipal bodies in other areas of NCR.

9. Central Government may take a decision on staggering of timings of Central Government offices in Delhi–NCR.

Steps under Stage-IV of revised GRAP include:

1. Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except for trucks carrying essential commodities/ providing essential services.)

All LNG/ CNG/ Electric/ BS-VI Diesel trucks shall however be permitted to enter Delhi.

2. Enforce strict ban on plying of Delhi - registered diesel operated BS-IV and below Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities/ providing essential services.
3. Ban C&D activities, as in the GRAP Stage‑III, also for linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, tele‑communication etc.
4.  

(i)  State Govts. in the NCR and the GNCTD to mandatorily conduct classes in schools for children even for higher classes i.e. from class VI to IX and XI in a “Hybrid” mode i.e., both in physical and online mode (wherever online mode is feasible) in the territorial jurisdiction of the NCT of Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

(ii) The NCR State Governments may also consider conducting classes for students as above in a “Hybrid” mode in other areas in NCR.

Note: The option to exercise the online mode of education, wherever available, shall vest with the students and their guardians.

5. NCR State Governments / GNCTD to take a decision on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50% strength and the rest to work from home. 
6. Central Government may take appropriate decision on permitting work from home for employees in central government offices.
7. State Governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of colleges/ educational institutions and closure of non‑emergency commercial activities, permitting running of vehicles on odd-even basis of registration numbers etc.

Further, CAQM urges the citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementing GRAP and follow the steps mentioned in the Citizen Charter under GRAP. In addition to steps under Citizen Charter of Stages I & II, citizens are advised to earnestly follow Citizen Charter of Stages III & IV of revised GRAP as under:

STAGE-III

• Walk or use cycles for small distances.
• Choose a cleaner commute. Share a ride to work or use public transport.
• People, whose positions allow working from home, may work from home.
• Do not use coal and wood for heating purpose.
• Individual house owners may also provide electric heaters to security/ other staff employed by them to avoid open burning of bio-mass/ wood/ MSW.
• Combine errands and reduce trips.

STAGE-IV

• Children, elderly and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or other chronic diseases to avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors, as much as possible. If required to move outdoors, they are advised to wear mask.

 

Complete details of the revised schedule of GRAP are available on the Commission’s website and can be accessed via https://caqm.nic.in

 

*****

VM/GS

(Release ID: 2093226) Visitor Counter : 375