GRAP curbs tightened in Delhi: With AQI stuck at 'very poor,' central panel imposes these measures

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) tightened pollution-control measures across the National Capital Region on Saturday, rolling out a stricter Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as Delhi’s air quality remained stuck in the ‘Very Poor’ category. The move signals an early escalation of curbs, with multiple measures now activated at lower AQI thresholds to prevent the situation from sliding into the ‘Severe’ zone.

The Graded Response Action Plan serves as NCR’s emergency playbook, triggered by daily average AQI levels and weather forecasts. It coordinates municipal bodies, state governments, transportation agencies, electricity utilities, and enforcement departments during periods of deteriorating air quality.

Under the updated framework, several interventions that previously belonged to Stage II have now been pushed to Stage I (‘Poor’ AQI: 201–300). These include maintaining an uninterrupted power supply to discourage diesel generators, deploying additional personnel at choke points to ease congestion, issuing pollution alerts via newspapers and broadcast media, and ramping up public transport by adding CNG/electric buses and increasing metro frequency, along with differential fares to shift commuters to off-peak hours.

A similar shift has taken place between Stage III and Stage II. Measures such as staggering office timings for public offices and municipal bodies in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar will now be triggered earlier, under the ‘Very Poor’ category (301–400). NCR state governments may extend these measures to other districts, while the Centre may adapt them for central offices in the region.

With Delhi’s AQI still entrenched in the ‘Very Poor’ zone, CAQM has also authorised certain Stage IV (‘Severe’) measures to be implemented under Stage III. This includes allowing NCR state governments and the Delhi government to decide whether public, municipal and private offices should operate with 50% staff and permit the rest to work from home. The Centre may take a similar call for its employees in Delhi–NCR.

The revised GRAP schedule reflects a sharper, more proactive approach to air-quality management, aiming to slow toxic buildup before it triggers emergency-level curbs.