Driving In Delhi-NCR? GRAP Stage 1 Curbs On Vehicles You Must Know As AQI Dips

Last Updated:October 15, 2025, 14:22 IST

As GRAP Stage-I takes effect across Delhi-NCR, car owners face fresh restrictions aimed at cutting vehicular pollution. Here’s what’s allowed and what’s not

Vehicles ply on the Gurugram-Delhi Expressway amid low visibility. (PTI Photo)

On Tuesday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) breached the ‘poor’ category for the first time since June, clocking an average of 211. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a set of legally enforceable emergency measures to prevent further deterioration in Delhi‑NCR’s air.

The move has brought a new set of vehicle‑related restrictions across the region, marking the season’s first coordinated effort to tackle rising pollution.

By Wednesday morning, Delhi’s AQI remained in the ‘poor’ range at 201 (recorded at 5:30 am), with the temperature at 19°C, according to the Early Warning System for Delhi. Among city locations, Anand Vihar once again recorded the worst air quality, followed by Wazirpur. The wider NCR fared worse: Noida’s AQI surged from 228 at 5:00 am to 369 by 7:00 am, Ghaziabad hovered around 320–325, and Faridabad rose from 252 to 267, with a visible smog layer blanketing the region.

What Vehicle Restrictions Apply Under GRAP Stage-I?

Under GRAP Stage-I, the following restrictions and enforcement measures now apply to vehicles across Delhi-NCR:

• Ban on old vehicles: Diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are banned from operating in Delhi-NCR. These restrictions remain in force and will now be strictly enforced under Stage-I.
• PUC norms strictly enforced: Authorities will implement strict vigilance and enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate norms. All vehicles must carry a valid PUC certificate.
• No tolerance for visible emissions: Vehicles found visibly emitting smoke will be stopped, fined, or impounded under a zero-tolerance policy.
• Traffic management at intersections: Traffic police have been deployed at key intersections across NCR to instruct drivers to switch off their engines at red lights and reduce engine idling.
• Encouragement for cleaner vehicles: Citizens are encouraged to prefer hybrid or electric vehicles (EVs) to help control vehicular pollution.
• Group commute encouraged: Offices and workplaces have been advised to initiate unified employee commuting systems to reduce the number of private vehicles on the road.

These curbs are part of a broader 27-point action plan applicable to Delhi and adjoining NCR districts in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab.

What Does The Stage-I Action Plan Include?

The 27-point action plan under Stage-I of GRAP involves steps to be implemented and monitored by multiple agencies, including state pollution control boards and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Key measures include:

Dust control at construction and demolition sites:

• Use of anti-smog guns, water sprinkling, and dust suppression measures must be intensified at all road construction, widening, repair, and maintenance sites.
• All construction and demolition sites must follow approved dust control measures.
• Projects larger than 500 square metres must adhere to a Dust Management Plan.

Mechanised road cleaning:

• Periodic mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling must be carried out on roads.
• Dust collected must be scientifically disposed of at designated sites or landfills.

Strict ban on open burning:

• Open burning of garbage, leaves, biomass, and municipal solid waste is strictly prohibited.
• Landfill sites and dump yards will be placed under strict vigil to prevent fire incidents.

DG sets and fuel controls:

• Use of diesel generator sets is restricted. They may only be used in essential or emergency situations.
• Roadside food stalls, hotels, and commercial kitchens are banned from using coal or wood fuel.
• All open eateries are required to use electricity, LPG, or other clean fuels.

Truck traffic diversion:

• The Supreme Court order on the diversion of non-destined truck traffic through Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways must be strictly enforced.

Public engagement:

• Citizens have been urged to comply with the GRAP Citizen Charter, which includes keeping engines tuned, maintaining proper tyre pressure, updating PUC certificates, reporting pollution via mobile apps, and celebrating festivals without firecrackers.

What Is GRAP And Who Enforces It?

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a predefined escalation framework of pollution-control measures, meant to be triggered as air quality worsens. The idea is to respond quickly and proportionately to prevent a public health emergency.

GRAP was recommended by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 in the M.C. Mehta vs Union of India case. It was officially notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2017. Initially implemented by the EPCA, it is now managed by the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), a statutory body formed in 2021.

The CAQM has overriding jurisdiction across Delhi and NCR states and can issue binding directions, impose fines up to Rs 1 crore, and even sentence violators to up to five years in prison. It relies on real-time data from the CPCB, and forecast models from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).

What Triggers GRAP Stages?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is the single metric used to activate GRAP. Introduced in 2014 under the Swachh Bharat campaign, AQI tracks eight pollutants and assigns a number from 0–500:

• 0–50: Good
• 51–100: Satisfactory
• 101–200: Moderate
• 201–300: Poor (Stage-I)
• 301–400: Very Poor (Stage-II)
• 401–450: Severe (Stage-III)
• 451+: Severe+ (Stage-IV)

Each GRAP stage comes with its own set of restrictions. As AQI rises, new restrictions are added on top of those from earlier stages.

Why Was GRAP Stage-I Enforced Now?

According to official data, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI touched 211 on Tuesday, the first time since June that it entered the ‘poor’ category. Main pollutants included PM10 and ground-level ozone, both of which are linked to vehicle and industrial emissions.

The India Meteorological Department and IITM forecast that pollution levels are likely to worsen over the coming week, prompting the GRAP Sub-Committee to act immediately.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

Read More

News india Driving In Delhi-NCR? GRAP Stage 1 Curbs On Vehicles You Must Know As AQI Dips

Read More