Delhi Chokes As AQI Hits 425; GRAP-III Curbs Kicked In. Here's All You Need To Know About The Restrictions

The air pollution levels in Delhi NCR rose from 362 on Monday to 425 on Tuesday. The relief that everyone was glad to hear about just yesterday, is nowhere to be found now. The national capital is once

again under siege from the toxic air. As of November 11, 2025, the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi is reported to be 425, plunging it into the ‘severe’ category and prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to activate Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for the Delhi-NCR region.

GRAP-III implemented in Delhi: What is GRAP Stage III?

GRAP 3 stands for Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan, a tiered response mechanism that is designed to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Under this framework:

• Stage I applies when AQI is 201-300 (Poor)
• Stage II when AQI is 301-400 (Very Poor)
• Stage III when AQI is 401-450 (Severe)
• Stage IV comes in when AQI is greater than 450 (Severe Plus)

Thus, the invocation of Stage III signals a grave situation: emissions and dust are soaring, weather conditions (like calm winds and temperature inversion) are trapping pollutants, and urgent action is required to protect public health.

What’s allowed and what's not: Key restrictions under GRAP Stage III

Once Stage III is triggered, the curbs and restrictions build on those that were already in place under Stages I & II, and include additional and stricter measures, like:All non-essential construction work, demolition, earth-works (sewer, drainage, cabling), welding/cutting, brick/masonry, waterproofing, major road repairs are prohibited. Along with this, the operation of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) batching plants is also banned.

The use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers is restricted in Delhi and nearby NCR districts. These include Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Noida. Non-essential diesel-operated medium goods vehicles (BS-IV or older) are also barred. Exemptions apply for persons with disabilities. Stone-crushers, mining operations and similar high-dust generating activities are ordered closed.Schools up to Class 5 are asked to remain closed or switch to hybrid mode. Classes are shifted online. Private companies are advised to adopt work-from-home or hybrid arrangements to help reduce vehicle emissions.