Full Breakdown
CAQM Tightens Delhi-NCR Pollution-Control Plan Ahead of Winter Season
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) approved a revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) on 28 September. The changes shift several vehicle-restriction measures to earlier stages, expand construction-site monitoring, and remove exemptions for older goods vehicles carrying essential commodities. The plan takes effect immediately, but each restriction is triggered only when the corresponding air-quality stage is declared.
Background & Context
Since 2020, CAQM has administered GRAP, a tiered set of actions activated as the Air Quality Index (AQI) worsens. The 2024-25 revision is the first comprehensive overhaul since November 2025, when the commission barred non-BS-VI goods vehicles from entering Delhi. The update anticipates the winter pollution season, when AQI regularly exceeds “severe” levels.
Data & Statistics
- The revised schedule lists 48 action points across four stages: 25 in Stage I, 8 in Stage II, 10 in Stage III, and 5 in Stage IV.
- Tribune India reports 55 provisions and 34 citizen-charter items in the new framework.
- The citizen charter was expanded from 22 to 34 items, according to a CAQM member.
- The transitional exemption for BS-IV vehicles ends on 31 October 2026.
- Inter-city and inter-state buses must be electric, CNG or BS-VI diesel to enter Delhi-NCR from GRAP-1 (previously from GRAP-2).
- Restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light four-wheelers now include Sonipat, Haryana, in addition to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.
Official Statements & Responses
The Delhi government and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change announced complementary actions such as a construction ban from 1 November, mandatory work-from-home for government staff, and intensified “No PUCC, No Fuel” campaigns at 500 petrol pumps equipped with ANPR systems starting 1 October.
CAQM reiterated its 10 September advisory, urging rescheduling of outdoor sports competitions in NCR for November and December to protect students’ health.
Why It Matters
By moving bus restrictions to the earliest stage and extending vehicle bans to additional districts, the plan aims to curb emissions before AQI reaches “severe” levels. Expanding construction-site registration and monitoring to industrial and highway zones addresses rising dust contributions outside municipal limits. Removing exemptions for older goods vehicles eliminates a loophole that previously allowed polluting trucks to transport supplies during high-pollution periods.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total number of provisions: Hindustan Times cites 48 action points, while Tribune India mentions 55 provisions. The count of citizen-charter items varies between 22 (pre-revision) and 34 (post-revision). No source provides data on projected emission reductions or compliance rates, leaving the effectiveness of the tightened measures unquantified.
What’s Next
- 31 October 2026: End of the transitional window for BS-IV vehicles.
- 10 September (scheduled): Advisory to reschedule outdoor sports events if air quality remains poor.
- 1 October (scheduled): Launch of the intensified “No PUCC, No Fuel” campaign at selected petrol pumps.
These timelines indicate that the revised GRAP will continue to shape Delhi-NCR’s pollution-control strategy through the 2026-27 winter season and beyond.