Delhi-NCR moved under Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Wednesday after the region’s air quality deteriorated sharply, with the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) restricting the entry of several categories of inter-city buses into the region.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index rose from 179, in the moderate category, on October 20 to 244 at 2 p.m. on October 21, placing it in the poor category. The CAQM said forecasts by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology indicated that air quality was likely to remain poor over the coming days.
Under the first stage of GRAP, inter-city and inter-state buses from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and adjoining States, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, will not be permitted to operate in Delhi-NCR if they do not meet specified cleaner-fuel standards. The restriction excludes electric, compressed natural gas and BS-VI diesel buses.
GRAP is a four-stage emergency framework designed to introduce progressively stronger measures as air pollution worsens. Stage 1 applies when the AQI is between 201 and 300. Stage 2 is triggered between 301 and 400, Stage 3 between 401 and 500, while Stage 4 is invoked when the AQI exceeds 450, according to the report.
The latest action comes as Delhi enters the period when cooler conditions and weaker atmospheric dispersion can make it harder for pollutants to clear. On Wednesday, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, described as below the seasonal average. The India Meteorological Department forecast mainly clear skies and a maximum temperature of around 32 degrees Celsius.
Delhi’s seasonal pollution-control measures will also include restrictions on dust-generating construction and demolition activities, artificial-intelligence-based monitoring of construction sites, a proposed 50% work-from-home arrangement and staggered office timings. These measures are part of the Delhi Government’s Winter Action Plan, scheduled to remain in force from November 1 to February 28.
The GRAP response reflects the administrative challenge of managing pollution across a region whose transport, construction and economic activity extend beyond Delhi’s municipal boundaries. The bus restrictions cover vehicles originating in multiple neighbouring States, while the broader winter measures involve coordination among pollution-control agencies, local administrations, transport authorities and construction-site operators.
The CAQM’s order follows a rapid deterioration rather than a single-day fluctuation in the recorded AQI. Its decision was based both on the observed reading and on forecasts indicating that the poor category could persist. Further restrictions under GRAP will depend on the AQI bands reached by the region and the assessment of future air-quality conditions.
