**Executive Summary**
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the Delhi-NCR with immediate effect on April 16, 2026. This action follows the deterioration of Delhi's daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) to 226, placing it in the ‘Poor’ category. The order mandates the implementation of 31 specific actions by implementing agencies to prevent further air quality degradation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Construction and Demolition (C&D) Activities**
* Strictly implement dust mitigation measures and sound environmental management for C&D waste.
* Prohibit C&D activities on plots ≥ 500 sqm that are not registered on state web portals for remote monitoring.
* Ensure all C&D materials and waste are stored under cover and transported only in covered vehicles.
* Enforce the mandatory use of anti-smog guns at construction sites in proportion to the built-up area.
**Waste and Dust Management**
* Ensure regular lifting of municipal solid waste, C&D waste, and hazardous waste from dump sites to prevent illegal dumping.
* Conduct periodic mechanized sweeping and water sprinkling on roads, ensuring scientific disposal of collected dust.
* Strictly prohibit the open burning of biomass and municipal solid waste, with heavy environmental compensation fines for violations.
* Maintain a strict vigil to prevent fire incidents at landfill and dump sites.
**Vehicular Traffic and Transport**
* Enforce Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms and strictly prohibit visibly polluting vehicles through impounding or maximum penalties.
* Strictly divert non-destined truck traffic through Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
* Enforce court orders regarding the ban on overaged diesel and petrol vehicles.
* Synchronize traffic movements and deploy personnel at heavy congestion corridors to ensure smooth flow.
* Augment public transport services (CNG/electric buses and Metro) and introduce differential rates to encourage off-peak travel.
**Industrial and Energy Regulations**
* Ensure industries, brick kilns, and hot mix plants use only approved fuels and strictly comply with emission standards.
* Enforce emission norms in thermal power plants and take legal action against non-compliant industrial units.
* Ensure DISCOMS provide uninterrupted power supply to minimize the use of diesel generator sets.
* Ban the use of coal and firewood in tandoors at hotels, restaurants, and open eateries, mandating the use of electric or gas-based appliances.
**Public Awareness and Redressal**
* Disseminate information regarding pollution levels and "Do’s and Don’ts" via social media, SMS, and news outlets.
* Ensure rapid redressal of pollution-related complaints received through the 311 App, Green Delhi App, and SAMEER App.
* Encourage offices to implement unified commutes for employees to reduce road traffic.
**Impact Analysis**
**Construction Agencies and Developers**
**Impact:** Subject to intensified monitoring and potential work stoppages for non-compliance.
**Action Required:** Register large projects on official portals, deploy anti-smog guns, and ensure all waste/materials are covered during storage and transit.
**Industrial Units and Power Plants**
**Impact:** Increased risk of closure or legal action for using unapproved fuels or exceeding emission limits.
**Action Required:** Transition to approved clean fuels and strictly adhere to prescribed emission standards.
**Transport Authorities and Traffic Police**
**Impact:** Heightened responsibility for traffic management and enforcement of vehicle age/emission rules.
**Action Required:** Increase patrols for PUC compliance, impound polluting vehicles, and manage congestion points to prevent idling.
**General Public and Citizens**
**Impact:** Changes in public transport availability and restrictions on certain activities (e.g., firecrackers, use of coal in eateries).
**Action Required:** Adhere to the Stage-I Citizen Charter, use public transport, report polluting activities via official apps, and adopt unified commuting.
**Implementing Agencies (DPCC, SPCB, etc.)**
**Impact:** Required to maintain strict vigilance and provide periodic reviews of implementation status.
**Action Required:** Execute all 31 directed actions, monitor AQI forecasts, and ensure scientific disposal of road dust and waste.
Key Entities Referenced
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): The primary regulatory body responsible for coordinating air quality management and invoking the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the National Capital Region.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): An emergency response framework consisting of specific actions to be implemented based on air quality levels to prevent further atmospheric deterioration.
Delhi-NCR: The central geographic region where the environmental directives and the 31 actions under Stage-I of GRAP are mandatorily applicable.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): The statutory organization whose daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletins provide the official data used to trigger different stages of pollution control measures.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
CAQM Invokes GRAP Stage-I in Delhi-NCR as Air
Quality Deteriorates to 'Poor' Category
Posted On: 16 APR 2026 7:38PM by PIB Delhi
The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM)
Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) today invoked all actions under Stage-I of
the extant GRAP with immediate effect across the entire NCR, after Delhi's daily average Air Quality
Index (AQI) recorded 226, placing it in the 'Poor' category (AQI range: 201–300), as per the daily AQI
Bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The Sub-Committee convened today to take stock of the prevailing air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR.
Upon a comprehensive review of current conditions and weather and meteorological forecasts provided by
the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), it
was noted that Delhi's AQI has been on an increasing trend owing to unfavourable meteorological
conditions. IMD/IITM forecasts further indicate that the AQI is likely to remain in the 'Poor' category over
the next two days.
In view of this, the Sub-Committee directed the implementation of all 31 actions under Stage-I of the
extant GRAP with immediate effect across the entire NCR. These steps are:
1. Ensure proper implementation of Directions/ Rules/ guidelines on dust mitigation measures in
Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities and sound environmental management of C&D
waste.
2. Ensure strict compliance of Direction Nos. 11-18 dated 11.06.2021 and do not permit C&D
activities in respect of such projects with plot size equal to or more than 500 sqm which are not
registered on the ‘web portal’ of the respective state / GNCTD and / or which do not fulfil the other
requirements as per the above noted statutory directions, for remote monitoring of dust mitigation
measures.
3. Ensure regular lifting of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste,
and Hazardous wastes from dedicated dump sites and ensure that no waste is dumped illegally in
open land areas.
4. Carry out periodic mechanized sweeping and water sprinkling on roads and ensure scientific
disposal of the dust collected in designated sites/ landfills.
5. Ensure that C&D materials & waste are properly stored/ contained, duly covered in the premises.
Ensure transportation of C&D materials and C&D waste only through covered vehicles.
6. Strictly enforce the Statutory directions and yardsticks for use of anti-smog guns at C&D sites, in
proportion to the total built-up area of the project under construction.7. Intensify use of anti-smog guns, water sprinkling and dust suppression measures in road
construction / widening / repair projects and maintenance activities.
8. Stringently enforce prohibition on open burning of bio-mass and municipal solid waste. Impose
maximum EC upon violations in accordance with Hon’ble NGT’s orders dated 04.12.2014 and
28.04.2015 in OA 21/2014.
9. Strict vigil to ensure that there are no burning incidents in the landfill sites/ dumpsites.
10. Deploy traffic police for smooth traffic flow at all identified corridors with heavy traffic and
congestion prone intersections.
11. Strict vigilance and enforcement of PUC norms for vehicles.
12. No tolerance for visible emissions – Stop visibly polluting vehicles by impounding and/ or levying
maximum penalty.
13. Strictly enforce the Hon’ble Supreme Court order on diversion of non- destined truck traffic for
Delhi, through Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
14. Strictly enforce NGT / Hon’ble SC’s order on overaged diesel / petrol vehicles and as per extant
statutes.
15. Ensure strict penal/ legal action against non-compliant and illegal industrial units.
16. Stringently enforce all pollution control regulations in Industries, brick kilns and hot mix plants etc.
- strict compliance of the prescribed standards of emissions.
17. Ensure that only approved fuels are used by the industries in NCR including in brick kilns and hot
mix plants and enforce closure in case of violations, if any.
18. Stringently enforce emission norms in thermal power plants and strict actions be taken against non-
compliance.
19. Strictly enforce Hon’ble Courts / Tribunal orders regarding ban on firecrackers.
20. Ensure regular lifting and proper disposal of industrial waste from industrial and non-
development areas.
21. DISCOMS to minimise power supply interruptions in NCR.
22. Ensure that diesel generator sets are not used as regular source of power supply.
23. Strictly enforce the extant ban on coal / firewood as fuel in Tandoors in Hotels, Restaurants and
open eateries.
24. Ensure hotels, restaurants and open eateries use only electricity / gas-based / clean fuel - based
appliances.
25. Information dissemination including through social media and bulk SMS etc. Mobile Apps to be
used to inform people about the pollution levels, contact details of control room, enable them to
report polluting activities / sources to the concerned authorities and inform them about actions that
would be taken by Government.
26. Ensure quick actions for redressal of complaints on 311 APP, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App and
other such social media platforms to curb polluting activities.
27. Encourage offices to start unified commute for employees to reduce traffic on road.
28. Ensure uninterrupted power supply to discourage use of alternate power Generating sets/ equipment
(DG sets etc.).
29. Synchronize traffic movements and deploy adequate personnel at intersections / traffic congestion
points for smooth flow of traffic.
30. Alert in newspapers / TV / radio to advise people about air pollution levels and Do’s and Don’ts for
minimizing polluting activities.
31. Augment public transport services through CNG/ electric buses and metro services by inducting
additional fleet and increasing the frequency of service. Introduce differential rates to encourage off
– peak travel.These measures are to be implemented, monitored, and reviewed by all concerned agencies, including the
Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), with the
objective of preventing any further deterioration in air quality levels.
All implementing agencies have been directed to maintain strict vigilance and intensify measures as per
the GRAP schedule. The Sub-Committee has also urged citizens of the NCR to cooperate in the
implementation of GRAP and to strictly adhere to the Citizen Charter under Stage-I of the extant GRAP.
#CAQM urges the citizens of #NCR to adhere to the following steps as
mentioned in the Citizen Charter of Stage-I of #GRAP.
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.@moefcc @CPCB_OFFICIAL @dpcc_pollution @uppcbofficial @Haryana_spcb @
RSPCB_official pic.twitter.com/AOf7uiWvBb
— Commission for Air Quality Management (@CAQM_Official) April 16, 2026
The Sub-Committee will continue to closely monitor the air quality situation and undertake periodic
reviews to determine whether further action is warranted, based on prevailing AQI levels and forecasts by
IMD/IITM. The comprehensive schedule of the extant GRAP is available on the Commission's official
website at: https://caqm.nic.in.
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VM/GS
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