CAQM revises Delhi-NCR's Graded Response Action Plan, tightens vehicle and construction-dust curbs

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), a statutory body, approved a revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) schedule at its 30th Full Commission meeting, now comprising 48 actions across Stage I to Stage IV. Several curbs that earlier triggered only at Stage II, such as restrictions on diesel generator sets and entry of BS-IV and older buses from NCR and adjoining states, now apply from Stage I itself, while repeated actions on dust and municipal solid waste have been merged. The restriction on plying BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel or older four-wheelers has been extended to Sonipat, in addition to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.

The exemption earlier available to BS-IV and older goods vehicles carrying essential commodities during Stage III and IV has been withdrawn, and diesel-run, older light and medium goods vehicles registered outside Delhi now face fresh entry restrictions into Delhi under Stage III. The Commission also amended its 2021 directions on web-portal monitoring of construction and demolition sites, extending that monitoring to eligible sites beyond municipal limits, while keeping the existing 500 square metre plot-area threshold unchanged. Physical sports competitions in NCR scheduled for November-December have been advised to be rescheduled in view of air quality.