CAQM Enforces GRAP Stage-III Measures in Delhi NCR
Stage-III GRAP Implemented in Delhi-NCR as AQI Hits 354
New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas, commonly referred to as CAQM, has invoked Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect across the entire NCR, in response to the rapidly deteriorating air quality in Delhi. GRAP is a structured mechanism for managing air pollution, implemented in phases to control and mitigate the impact of poor air quality on public health and the environment. Stage-III, classified as the ‘Severe’ category, applies when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 401–450.
According to data released by CAQM, the AQI of Delhi, which stood at 343 at 4 PM on 15 January 2026, rose to 354 at 4 PM on 16 January 2026, placing it in the ‘Very Poor’ category (AQI range: 301–400). Forecasts prepared jointly by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) indicate that the AQI is likely to exceed 400 in the coming days due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, including slow and variable wind speeds, potentially pushing the city into the ‘Severe’ category.
The CAQM Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan convened to review the prevailing air quality scenario, meteorological forecasts, and AQI trends, and decided that immediate action was necessary to prevent further deterioration. Accordingly, all measures envisaged under Stage-III of GRAP have been activated. These measures are in addition to the actions under Stage I and Stage II of GRAP, which remain in force. The Sub-Committee has directed the Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR states and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to ensure strict compliance with all Stage-III measures.
Stage-III of GRAP prescribes a comprehensive nine-point action framework to be implemented immediately across NCR. The first element restricts construction and demolition activities that generate dust or contribute significantly to air pollution. Activities restricted include earthwork for excavation and filling, boring and drilling works, piling, all demolition, laying of sewer, water, drainage, and electric cabling via open trench systems, brick and masonry work, operation of ready-mix concrete batching plants, major welding and gas-cutting operations, painting, polishing, varnishing, cement and plaster application, cutting and fixing of tiles, stones, and other flooring materials, road construction and major repairs, and the transfer, loading, or unloading of dust-generating materials such as cement, fly-ash, bricks, sand, murram, pebbles, and crushed stones. Minor indoor maintenance activities, including small-scale welding and painting, are permitted. Construction activities for projects deemed essential—such as railway and metro stations, airports, interstate bus terminals, national security or defense-related projects, hospitals and healthcare facilities, linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, power transmission/distribution, pipelines, telecommunication services, and sanitation projects like sewage treatment and water supply—are allowed to continue under strict compliance with the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules and dust control norms. Ancillary activities that specifically support these projects are also permitted.
All stone crusher operations and mining activities across NCR are required to cease immediately. The GNCTD and state governments of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar are directed to strictly restrict the movement of Bharat Stage III (BS-III) petrol and Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) diesel light motor vehicles, except for persons with disabilities using vehicles specifically adapted for their personal use. Delhi-registered diesel medium goods vehicles conforming to BS-IV standards or below are also restricted, except when transporting essential commodities or providing essential services. Non-Delhi-registered BS-IV diesel light commercial vehicles are prohibited from entering Delhi, with the same exceptions.
In education, schools in Delhi and the four adjoining districts are mandated to conduct classes for children up to Class V in a hybrid mode, combining in-person and online learning wherever online facilities exist. Other areas of NCR may also consider adopting the hybrid mode for students up to Class V. The choice to attend classes online rests with students and their guardians. Public, municipal, and private offices are advised to function with 50 per cent staff on-site while the remaining employees work from home, and the central government may take appropriate decisions to permit work from home for its employees.
CAQM has urged citizens to cooperate in implementing GRAP and to follow guidance under the Citizen Charter. In addition to steps under Stages I and II, citizens are advised to walk or cycle for short distances, choose cleaner commutes, including shared rides and public transport, work from home if feasible, avoid using coal and wood for heating, provide electric heaters to staff to prevent open burning of biomass or municipal solid waste, and combine errands to reduce trips.
Historically, the Graded Response Action Plan has been progressively implemented in Delhi and NCR to address episodic spikes in air pollution, particularly during the winter months when meteorological conditions such as low wind speed, temperature inversion, and stagnation contribute to pollutant accumulation. Stage-III measures have been invoked in previous years when AQI crossed the ‘Severe’ threshold, often coinciding with the onset of crop residue burning in neighbouring states, increased vehicular emissions, and high construction activity. GRAP’s phased approach allows authorities to scale interventions according to the severity of pollution, ensuring proactive steps are taken to minimise health risks. The current invocation of Stage-III reflects the CAQM’s proactive stance, anticipating further deterioration in air quality based on forecasts from IMD and IITM.
The Sub-Committee will closely monitor the air quality situation and review it periodically, taking into account updated forecasts, and will take further decisions as appropriate.
– global Biharu
