Delhi Revokes Stage 4 Air Quality Restrictions as Conditions Improve

Air Quality Management Commission Lifts Restrictions

On Wednesday, the Commission for Air Quality Management announced the lifting of Stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region, following an improvement in air quality.

These Stage 4 restrictions had been implemented on December 13 when air quality levels fell into the 'severe plus' category.

The commission reported that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi has significantly improved since Tuesday night, attributed to strong winds and favorable weather conditions.

As of Wednesday, the average AQI in the capital was recorded at 271, categorizing it as 'poor'.

However, forecasts from the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras indicate that the AQI may rise again in the coming days due to a decrease in wind speed.

The commission confirmed that the Stage 4 restrictions have been revoked immediately, but measures under Stages 1, 2, and 3 will remain in effect.

GRAP consists of a series of escalating anti-pollution strategies activated to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it surpasses a specific threshold in the Delhi-NCR area. This commission was established in 2020 to tackle pollution issues in the NCR and nearby regions.

Previously, the air quality in Delhi had deteriorated to the 'severe plus' category from December 13 to December 15, before slightly improving to 'very poor' by Monday.

However, the average AQI surged to 412 on Tuesday before showing improvement on Wednesday.

Understanding GRAP Measures

Stage 4 restrictions under GRAP include prohibiting trucks from entering the region and suspending construction activities for both public and private projects. Schools, except for classes 10 and 12, are required to switch to a hybrid learning model.

Stage 3 measures entail banning non-essential construction work and shutting down stone crushers and mining operations, in addition to the existing restrictions from Stages 1 and 2.

These measures also involve transitioning primary schools up to Class 5 to a hybrid mode, allowing parents and students to choose between offline and online classes where available.

Moreover, the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles is restricted in Delhi and the NCR.

Bharat Stage (BS) norms are regulations established by the Indian government to limit air pollutants emitted by vehicles. The higher the BS standard, the stricter the regulations, resulting in lower permissible emissions.