Delhi and its surrounding areas have been engulfed in thick smog since morning, with the air quality index crossing the ‘critical’ mark and reaching over 400 in many places. The Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM) responded by activating Phase III of the Graduated Response Action Plan (GRAP) from 8 a.m. Thursday to combat dangerous pollution levels.

What is GRAP 3?

GRAP 3 is applied when the AQI reaches “critical” (401-450), introducing stricter pollution control measures. These activities include:

• Construction and demolition ban: Non-essential construction and demolition work will be prohibited, except for national security, healthcare and critical infrastructure projects.
• Vehicle Restrictions: BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles will be banned from plying in Delhi and NCR zones (including Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida).
• Restrictions on diesel generators: Only essential diesel generators will be allowed to operate.
• Increased mechanized sweeping: Road sweeping and irrigation systems will be intensified to prevent dust erosion.
• Public transport policy: increase services, including differentiated pricing to encourage less congested transport.

Other GRAP steps

The GRAP system works in four stages:

• Stage I (AQI 201-300): Includes measures such as mechanized road sweeping, dust mitigation at construction sites, and stricter controls on polluting vehicles.
• Stage II (AQI 301-400): Improved road sweeping, targeted air pollution reduction and additional public transport services.
• Stage IV (AQI > 450): severe restrictions such as stopping truck traffic, banning the construction of public infrastructure and reducing office attendance to 50%.

Context and impact of GRAP

GRAP was first activated in Delhi in October when the air quality crossed the 300 degree mark. Previous measures have helped prevent some pollution, but with the AQI now in the “severe” range, more intensive actions are needed.

Health Notices and Precautions

With the current level of contamination, residents, particularly children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, are advised to stay indoors, and members of the public are asked to avoid environmentally friendly preventive behaviors during festivals and outdoor activities where possible.

As the city is shrouded in smog, these actions aim to reduce the negative impact of air pollution on public health and the environment.