Delhi-NCR under GRAP 3 as AQI worsens to ‘severe’: Full list of restrictions and exemptions

The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Saturday imposed stage 3 of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as the air quality (AQI) in Delhi slipped to the "severe" category. Grap 3 is an emergency measure to control air pollution. 

“The CAQM GRAP Sub-Committee today has taken the call to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-III of extant GRAP - ‘Severe’ Air Quality (DELHI AQI ranging between 401-450), with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. This is in addition to the actions under Stages I & II of extant GRAP already in-force in NCR,” an official statement said.

GRAP 3 Restrictions

• All non-essential construction and demolition work will stop. This includes digging, piling, trenching, and open-air operations at Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants.
• BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers will not be allowed to run in Delhi and nearby NCR districts.
• Transport of construction materials like sand and cement will be banned, especially on unpaved roads.
• Stone crushers, mining units, and hot-mix plants that do not use clean fuel will be shut.
• Diesel generator sets will be banned, except for emergency and essential services.
• Inter-state diesel buses will be restricted from entering or operating in Delhi.
• Private companies are advised to allow work-from-home or hybrid work to reduce vehicle pollution.
• Schools up to Class 5 will be closed, with classes conducted online to protect young children from polluted air.

GRAP 3 Exemptions

Essential public projects such as railways, metro work, airports, defence, sanitation, and healthcare facilities can continue, but only by strictly following dust and waste control rules.