Delhi AQI hits 244; GRAP-1 restrictions kick in across NCR

Addressing a press briefing, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the government is fully prepared with preventive measures including restrictions on polluting vehicles, staggered office timings, and work-from-home provisions—to combat winter air pollution. Under GRAP Stage 1, dust mitigation protocols are intensified, with strict enforcement of guidelines regarding construction, demolition, open waste burning, mechanical road sweeping, water sprinkling, and scientific dust disposal.

Relevant authorities have also been directed to impose maximum Environmental Compensation fines and strict penalties on visibly polluting vehicles. Sirsa outlined an 11-point mitigation plan involving 30 government agencies, incorporating both immediate and long-term strategies. Long-term initiatives focus on eliminating road dust through end-to-end carpeting, promoting electric vehicle adoption, and systematically phasing out polluting fuel-based industries across the Delhi-NCR region.

Immediate vehicular restrictions include enforcing the "No PUCC, No Fuel" rule starting November 1, which denies fuel to vehicles lacking a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate, alongside intensified enforcement against end-of-life vehicles according to PTI. To reduce peak-hour congestion and emissions, 50 percent of employees in public and private offices will switch to work-from-home arrangements, supported by staggered office hours.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices will operate from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, while Delhi government offices will run from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM. To encourage public transport usage, standard parking fees at authorized facilities will double starting November 1, with Metro parking remaining exempted. Furthermore, strict construction curbs will take effect: all dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction activities will be banned from November 1 to January 31, leading up to a complete ban on all construction and demolition work between December 10 and January 20.

Additionally, 334 dedicated enforcement teams will be deployed across the city to monitor pollution hot spots and ensure environmental compliance. Citing official government assessments, Sirsa emphasized that air pollution remains a regional issue, noting that approximately 30 percent of Delhi's pollution originates within its borders, while 60 to 65 percent stems from surrounding NCR regions. He called for unified, coordinated action across all neighboring states to bring lasting relief to the region.