Delhi Government Enforces GRAP III Measures and Staggers Office Timings Amid Severe Pollution Crisis

The Delhi government has implemented a ban on private BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles. Additionally, it has restricted the entry of interstate non-electric-CNG buses and certain construction activities. These measures were introduced as the city faced severe air pollution levels on Friday morning. The restrictions fall under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), announced by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday.

Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 411, indicating severe pollution at 9 am on Friday. However, with increased wind speed, the average 24-hour AQI dropped to 396 by 4 pm, which is still considered very poor. Environment Minister Gopal Rai expressed optimism that higher wind speeds on Saturday would further improve the situation.

Government Measures and Public Transport

Chief Minister Atishi introduced staggered timings for government offices to alleviate traffic congestion amid high pollution levels. According to her announcement on X, central government offices will operate from 9 am to 5:30 pm, Delhi government offices from 10 am to 6:30 pm, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices from 8:30 am to 5 pm. Delhi LG V K Saxena approved these timings until February 2025 but expressed dissatisfaction over the delayed implementation.

Rai outlined several steps taken by the government to address the crisis. The city will operate 106 shuttle buses and increase Metro train trips by 60 daily to encourage public transport use. A complete ban on private construction and demolition activities is in place, while essential government construction will continue.

Enforcement and Penalties

Private BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles are prohibited from roads, with violators facing a Rs 20,000 penalty. Diesel and petrol interstate buses from NCR cities to Delhi are also banned. The transport department has deployed 84 teams with an additional 280 personnel to catch violators, according to Rai.

To discourage private vehicle use among government officials, the city will provide 40 dedicated shuttle buses for their transportation. Schools for Classes up to 5 will switch to online mode after the weekend. Principals and teachers of several private schools are using apps and smart boards to manage the situation.

Air Quality Monitoring and Pollution Sources

Mahesh Palawat from Skymet Weather Services noted that wind speeds of 8 to 12 kmph improved air quality on Friday. While AQI will remain in the very poor category on Saturday, it is expected to improve comparatively. Out of Delhi's 39 monitoring stations, 18 reported severe air quality, down from 27 in the morning.

The Sameer app provides hourly updates of the national AQI published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Stations reporting severe air quality include Alipur, Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Bawana, DTU, Dwarka Sector 8, IGI Airport, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Narela, Nehru Nagar, Patparganj, and Punjabi Bagh.

The Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management identified stubble burning as the highest contributor to Delhi's pollution on Thursday, accounting for approximately 33.3% of the total. Vehicular emissions contributed an estimated 11.9% to Delhi's pollution on Friday.

The CPCB identified PM2.5 as the prominent pollutant. These fine particles have a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less and can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks.