Delhi AQI at 'severe' level: When will school closures, odd-even begin?

The national capital's AQI was recorded at 409 on Friday, with thick smog covering the city; Grap-III implemented in the Delhi-NCR region

With the air quality index (AQI) reaching 409, Delhi faced its third consecutive day of severely poor air quality on Friday. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented stringent anti-pollution measures under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap).

Delhi pollution: What is Grap and its stages?

The Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) is a structured framework implemented in the Delhi-NCR region to combat air pollution based on the severity of air quality levels. Initiated in January 2017, Grap categorises air quality into four stages, each triggered by specific AQI thresholds. 

1. Stage I (Poor AQI 201-300): Activated when the AQI falls within this range, Stage-I focuses on dust control at construction sites, waste management, and restricting polluting vehicles. Measures include regular water sprinkling on roads and prohibiting outdoor waste burning. 

 

2. Stage-II (Very poor AQI 301-400): This stage introduces stricter measures such as banning coal and firewood use and restricting diesel generators in the Delhi-NCR region, except for emergencies. It also mandates enhanced mechanical sweeping and additional traffic management to reduce congestion within the city.

 

3. Stage-III (Severe AQI 401-450): Enforced when pollution reaches severe levels, Grap-III includes halting construction activities and implementing stricter industrial emission controls. Schools may shift to online classes for younger students during this phase.  Stage 3 of the Grap has imposed entry restrictions on interstate buses from NCR states, except those running on electric, CNG, or BS-VI diesel. Additional measures include halting construction and demolition, suspending mining activities, daily road water spraying, and shifting younger students to online classes. Restrictions will also apply to BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles in Delhi and neighboring regions, including Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

 

4. Stage-IV (Severe plus AQI >450): This final stage involves a complete ban on non-essential commercial activities and may introduce road rationing schemes such as odd-even vehicle usage.

Delhi air pollution: When are schools shut?

During periods of high pollution in Delhi, schools are closed and classes are shifted to online formats primarily for students up to Class 5. This decision is typically made when air quality levels reach Stage-III of the Grap, which is activated when the AQI exceeds 400, indicating ‘severe’ pollution conditions. 

On Thursday, in response to AQI levels crossing the 400 mark, the Delhi government announced that all primary schools would transition to online classes until further notice.

Delhi high AQI level: When does odd-even come into effect?

The odd-even vehicle scheme in Delhi is implemented during Stage-IV of the Grap, which is activated when the AQI exceeds 450, indicating ‘severe’ pollution levels. This scheme restricts vehicles based on their registration numbers, allowing only those with odd or even last digits to operate on alternate days.

Delhi pollution level: When does the Delhi govt put a ban on construction?

A ban on construction activities is implemented during Stage-III, which is triggered when the AQI reaches between 401 and 450, indicating ‘severe’ pollution levels. Recent conditions prompted the Delhi government to activate this stage as air quality deteriorated, with AQI readings exceeding 420.

 

This ban aims to mitigate dust and emissions, alongside restrictions on certain vehicles and mining activities, to protect public health amid severe smog in the Delhi-NCR region.

Delhi’s AQI at 409

New Delhi faced ‘severely’ poor air quality for the third consecutive day on Friday, with the AQI reaching 409. Thick smog covered the city, causing reduced visibility and disrupting traffic and flights. Of the city’s 39 monitoring stations, 21 recorded AQI levels in the ‘severe’ range, with areas like Jahangirpuri, Bawana, Wazirpur, and Rohini seeing the highest pollution levels.