GRAP Stage-II curbs imposed, Delhi's air quality drops to ‘very poor' before Diwali

Delhi-NCR's air quality deteriorated to ‘Very Poor’ just a day before Diwali, prompting authorities to impose Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-II curbs across the region on Sunday, October 19.

Why GRAP Stage 2 has been imposed?

According to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the sub-committee on GRAP held a meeting on Sunday (October 19) to review the air quality scenario in the region.

"The AQI of Delhi has shown an increasing trend since morning and has been recorded as 296 at 4:00 PM and 302 at 7:00 PM. The forecast by IMD/IITM also predicts further deterioration of AQI in the coming days," the order read.

This prompted authorities to "invoke all actions under Stage-II ('Very Poor Air Quality) of the extant GRAP in the entire NCR, with immediate effect, in addition to the Stage-I actions already in force."

The CAQM had imposed GRAP Stage I on October 14. The action was taken after the AQI in the region dropped to 211, categorising it as 'poor', according to a statement released by the Commission.

What is GRAP Stage-II?

GRAP categorises air quality into four stages: Stage I (Poor) with AQI between 201 and 300, Stage II (Very Poor) between 301 and 400, Stage III (Severe) between 401 and 450, and Stage IV (Severe Plus) for AQI above 450.

What curbs are imposed under GRAP Stage-II?

Under Stage II of GRAP, several curbs and intensified actions include daily mechanical or vacuum sweeping and water sprinkling on identified roads, preferably before peak traffic hours, to control dust.

Construction and demolition sites face intensified inspections to ensure strict enforcement of dust control measures.

To promote cleaner mobility, the GRAP Stage II mandates augmentation of public transport services through additional CNG and electric buses and increased frequency of metro services, along with differential fare rates to encourage off-peak travel.

Resident welfare associations (RWAs) are required to provide electric heaters to staff such as guards, gardeners and sanitation workers to prevent open burning of biomass and solid waste during winters.

Entry of inter-state buses into Delhi is restricted to those running on CNG, EVs or BS-VI diesel, excluding tourist buses operating under all-India permits.

(With inputs from agencies)