New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), which monitors air pollution levels in the region, imposed the highest restrictions under GRAP Stage-IV as the air quality index in Delhi breached 400 on Wednesday.
“The AQI of Delhi for Jan 14, which was 275, exhibited a sharp increasing trend on Jan 15, logging an AQI of 386 owing to dense foggy conditions and low temperatures leading to an extremely low mixing height and ventilation coefficient for the dispersion of pollutants. 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) and also Stage-IV (‘Severe+’ Air Quality of Delhi) of the extant Schedule of GRAP, with immediate effect, in the entire NCR,” a statement from CAQM said, It added that the actions under Stages I and II of the revised GRAP are already in force in NCR.
The sudden spike in pollution to 401 from Tuesday’s average reading of 275 led to the restrictive clampdown that would mean a halt in all construction work, which includes all linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, power transmission, pipelines and telecommunication. Its implementation also means the implementation of all GRAP Stage-III measures too.
This is the third time this year that GRAP Stage-III has been brought, while Stage-IV has been imposed after 22 days. The last time it was imposed was Dec 16, 2024, and revoked on Dec 24. Stage-III was last imposed on Jan 9 and revoked on Jan 12. The cycle of imposing and revoking regulations is proof of how the city’s air quality has fluctuated with each imposition and revocation.
GRAP Stage-III and IV mandate hybrid-mode classes for schools as well as staggered timing for public offices in Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.
Delhi’s air quality index (AQI), which was oscillating in the poor range since Tuesday night, spiked to severe levels by Wednesday evening. The AQI was 356 at 9am, rose to 369 by noon, 384 by 3pm, and 401 by 8pm. The average air quality index (AQI) was 386. The air quality was severe by 8pm in some areas. The CAQM’s sub-committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), taking note of the spiking air quality index implemented Stages-III and IV.
Wednesday was also the day when the AQI went above 350 for the fourth time in Jan. While the IMD has forecast light to moderate rain towards Wednesday evening, foggy weather has been predicted for Thursday, which may keep the pollution level high.
The city has been seeing stage-I and II measures since Oct 14 and Oct 21, 2024, respectively. The measures under Stage-I and II include intensive pollution control measures such as water sprinkling, mechanised road sweeping, a ban on open burning, providing security guards with electric heaters to avoid open burning, augmenting public transport to suppress the use of private vehicles, impounding or imposing heavy penalties on vehicles with visible emissions, enforcement of emission norms at thermal power plants, enhancing vehicle parking fees to discourage private transport, and regulating the use of DG sets, among other restrictions.
