GRAP-3 Curbs Put Delhi-NCR on Alert as Air Quality Stays 'Very Poor'
GRAP-3 Curbs Put Delhi-NCR on Alert as Air Quality Stays 'Very Poor'
AQI hovers in the very poor range (340s-350s) as GRAP Stage 3 restrictions spread across NCR to curb pollution amid stagnant weather forecasts.
Delhi’s air quality remains in the very poor category, with the Air Quality Index hitting 343 at 4 pm on Thursday and rising to 354 by the same hour on Friday, before settling at 350 by 6:30 pm. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management invoked GRAP Stage 3 across the National Capital Region as a precautionary step, citing forecasts of slow wind and a stagnant atmosphere that could hinder pollutant dispersal.
Officials said the decision was taken as a proactive measure to prevent further deterioration, building on actions already in force under Stages I and II. A sub-committee of the CAQM stressed that the NCR Pollution Control Boards and involved agencies should escalate preventive measures to avoid breaching the 400-point mark and entering a severe category.
Weather forecasters from the Indian Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology warned that current conditions—low wind speeds and a stable layer of air—could trap pollutants for days. The move aims to keep the air quality from worsening while meteorological conditions are monitored.
