Key Highlights

  • First chill: Delhi-NCR saw cooler mornings and evenings on Thursday.
  • Air worsens: Chandni Chowk hit 306 (very poor), while most other stations stayed in the poor range.
  • GRAP-I invoked: CAQM enforced Stage I after Delhi’s AQI jumped from 179 to 244 in a day.
  • What’s restricted: Coal and firewood in tandoors at eateries, and curbs on diesel generators.
  • From November 1: ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ and entry curbs on non-BS-VI vehicles registered outside Delhi.

As winter slowly sets in, Delhi-NCR residents woke up to a light chill on Thursday morning. But along with the cooler weather came a familiar worry: rising air pollution. Several monitoring stations recorded poor air quality, and one area slipped into the very poor category.

Area-Wise AQI on Thursday

Category Locations (AQI)
Very poor Chandni Chowk (306)
Poor Mandir Marg (279), Punjabi Bagh (279), Sirifort (277), Dwarka Sec 8 (275), Alipur (272), NSUT Jaffarpur (263), NIH Narela (259), Pusa (256), DU North Campus (240), Anand Vihar (236), Burari Crossing (226), IGI Airport T3 (213), Vasundhara Enclave (206)
Moderate Burari (190), Karala (188), Uttam Nagar (170), IMD Lodhi Road (147), Chhawla (146), Badarpur (141), Maidan Garhi (132)

As per CPCB, AQI of 201-300 is poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe.

Why GRAP Stage I Was Invoked

Delhi’s AQI rose to 244 at 2 pm on October 21, up from 179 the previous day. Following this, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on Wednesday. Forecasts from IMD and IITM suggest pollution is likely to stay high over the next few days.

What Changes Under GRAP-I

  • Coal and firewood cannot be used in tandoors at hotels, restaurants and open eateries.
  • Use of diesel generator sets is restricted.
  • Authorities must step up monitoring and enforcement.

The curbs apply to Delhi and nearby parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Residents have been asked to follow the Stage I citizen charter.

Bigger Measures From November 1

The Delhi government’s Winter Action Plan starts on November 1. Key measures include:

  • ‘No PUC, No Fuel’: Vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control certificates will not get fuel.
  • Entry restrictions: Non-Delhi vehicles not meeting BS-VI standards will face curbs, with some exemptions.
  • Other steps: Plans for 50 per cent work from home, construction restrictions, stricter dust control and more mechanised road sweeping.

Metro Adds More Trips

To encourage public transport, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is running 20 extra train trips on weekdays from October 22. It is also stepping up dust control at construction sites and nearby roads.

How to Protect Yourself

  • Check AQI before stepping out, especially for morning walks.
  • Children, elders and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit outdoor activity.
  • Use a well-fitted N95 mask on high-pollution days.
  • Keep your vehicle’s PUC certificate updated before November 1.

Why It Matters

Every year, Delhi’s air quality worsens sharply between late October and December due to falling temperatures, slow winds, vehicle emissions, dust and crop burning in nearby states. With Diwali approaching, early action is crucial to stop the AQI from sliding into the severe zone.

What Comes Next

Authorities will keep tracking pollution and weather forecasts. If air quality worsens further, stricter GRAP stages may be enforced.

With inputs from IANS.