**Executive Summary**
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) on May 19, 2026, with immediate effect. This decision follows Delhi’s daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 208 ('Poor' category) and forecasts indicating the trend will persist. All concerned agencies are required to implement a 31-point action plan and the Citizen Charter to prevent further deterioration of air quality.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Construction and Dust Mitigation**
* Enforce strict dust mitigation guidelines for all Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities.
* Prohibit C&D activities on projects $\ge$ 500 sqm that are not registered on state web portals for remote monitoring.
* Ensure C&D materials and waste are stored within premises, properly covered, and transported only in covered vehicles.
* Mandate the use of anti-smog guns at construction sites in proportion to the total built-up area.
* Intensify water sprinkling, mechanized sweeping, and dust suppression measures on roads and at construction sites.
**Waste and Emission Management**
* Ensure regular lifting of municipal solid waste, C&D waste, and hazardous waste from dump sites to prevent illegal dumping.
* Strictly prohibit the open burning of biomass and municipal solid waste, imposing maximum environmental compensation for violations.
* Enforce a total ban on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors at hotels, restaurants, and open eateries.
* Ensure industries, brick kilns, and hot mix plants use only approved fuels and strictly adhere to emission standards.
* Strictly enforce the ban on firecrackers as per Court and Tribunal orders.
**Vehicular Traffic and Transport**
* Enforce strict vigilance of Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms and impound visibly polluting vehicles.
* Divert non-destined truck traffic for Delhi through the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
* Strictly enforce orders against overaged diesel and petrol vehicles.
* Synchronize traffic movements and deploy personnel at congestion points to ensure smooth flow.
* Augment public transport services (CNG/electric buses and metro) and introduce differential rates to encourage off-peak travel.
**Power and Administrative Measures**
* DISCOMs must minimize power supply interruptions to discourage the use of diesel generator (DG) sets.
* Ensure uninterrupted power supply so that DG sets are not used as a regular power source.
* Use social media, SMS, and mobile apps (311 App, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App) for information dissemination and quick redressal of complaints.
* Encourage offices to implement unified commutes for employees to reduce road traffic.
**Impact Analysis**
**Pollution Control Agencies (NCR States and DPCC)**
**Impact**
Responsible for the direct implementation, monitoring, and review of the 31-point action plan across the NCR.
**Action Required**
Keep strict vigil, intensify field measures, and ensure quick redressal of air pollution complaints via designated mobile applications.
**Construction Entities and Project Proponents**
**Impact**
Subject to stringent monitoring of dust mitigation and waste management; projects failing to meet registration or environmental standards face immediate suspension.
**Action Required**
Register projects $\ge$ 500 sqm on web portals, deploy anti-smog guns, and ensure all C&D waste is covered during storage and transit.
**Industrial Units and Commercial Eateries**
**Impact**
Must comply with strict fuel and emission standards or face closure. Hotels and restaurants are prohibited from using traditional solid fuels.
**Action Required**
Switch to approved fuels, electricity, or gas-based appliances; ensure industrial waste is disposed of scientifically.
**General Public (Citizens of NCR)**
**Impact**
Requested to adhere to the "Citizen Charter" to contribute to the reduction of air pollution through individual behavioral changes.
**Action Required**
Maintain vehicles (proper tuning, tire pressure, and valid PUC), avoid vehicle idling, stop open waste burning, and report polluting activities via official apps.
**Transport Authorities and DISCOMs**
**Impact**
Tasked with infrastructure management to reduce emissions from vehicles and backup power sources.
**Action Required**
Traffic police must manage congestion; transport departments must increase bus/metro frequency; DISCOMs must ensure stable power to prevent DG set usage.
Key Entities Referenced
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): The emergency response framework invoked at Stage-I to implement a 31-point action plan for improving air quality in the Delhi-NCR region.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): The primary regulatory authority responsible for monitoring air quality and issuing directives to invoke pollution control measures in the NCR.
National Capital Region (NCR): The central geographic area encompassing Delhi and surrounding districts where the air quality mandates and construction bans are applicable.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): The regulator providing the official Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletins used as the technical trigger for invoking different stages of GRAP.
National Green Tribunal (NGT): The judicial body whose previous orders regarding biomass burning, waste management, and overaged vehicles are strictly enforced under this policy.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
CAQM invokes Stage-I of GRAP across Delhi-
NCR as AQI enters ‘Poor’ category
Posted On: 19 MAY 2026 7:35PM by PIB Delhi
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday invoked Stage-I of the Graded
Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) with immediate effect after
Delhi’s daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 208, falling in the ‘Poor’ category.
The decision was taken by the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP following a review of the current air
quality scenario in Delhi-NCR and forecasts by IMD/IITM indicating that air quality is likely to remain in
the ‘Poor’ category in the coming days.
The Sub-Committee noted that Delhi’s AQI has shown an increasing trend and recorded 208 (‘Poor’
Category) on 19.05.2026, as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB).
Accordingly, the Sub-Committee decided to invoke all actions under Stage-I of the extant GRAP with
immediate effect across the entire NCR. The 31-point action plan includes measures to be implemented
and ensured by various agencies, including Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and the Delhi
Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). 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.
Actions under Stage-I of the extant GRAP shall be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all agencies
concerned across NCR to ensure that AQI levels do not deteriorate further. All implementing agencies
have been directed to keep strict vigil and intensify measures under the extant GRAP schedule. Citizens
have also been requested to strictly adhere to the Citizen Charter under GRAP Stage-I.
The Sub-Committee further urged citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementation of GRAP and follow
the measures mentioned in the Citizen Charter under Stage-I of the extant GRAP, including:
Keep engines of your vehicles properly tuned.
Maintain proper tyre pressure in vehicles.
Keep PUC certificates of your vehicles up to date.
Do not idle your vehicle, also turn off the engine at red lights.
Prefer hybrid vehicles or EVs to control vehicular pollution.
Do not litter / dispose wastes, garbage in open spaces.
Report air polluting activities through 311 App, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App etc.
Plant more trees.
Celebrate festivals in an eco-friendly manner - avoid firecrackers.
The Sub-Committee shall continue to keep a close watch on the air quality scenario and review the
situation from time to time for further appropriate decisions depending upon the air quality in Delhi and
forecasts made by IMD/IITM.
The comprehensive schedule of the extant GRAP is available on the official website of the Commission at
https://caqm.nic.in/.
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