Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and Delhi-NCR Air Pollution

30 Oct 2026

Tags: Environment   Conservation   Pollution control

Source: The Indian Express

Context: As Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the ‘Poor’ category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of GRAP to control pollution.

• Winter pollution: Low wind speeds and falling temperatures trap pollutants near the ground. Stubble burning during October–November, festive firecrackers, vehicular emissions and dust further worsen air quality across Delhi-NCR and the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• Meaning: GRAP is a short-term emergency framework comprising graded measures to control air pollution, with restrictions becoming more stringent as air quality deteriorates.
• Implementation: CAQM issues directions for Delhi and NCR districts in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. State governments implement the restrictions through orders and are legally bound to comply; CAQM can initiate legal action against non-compliant officials.
• Evolution: GRAP was first notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2017, following Supreme Court directions. Initially implemented by the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), it came under CAQM in 2021 after the latter replaced EPCA.
• Legal framework: CAQM is a statutory body established under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. Its statutory authority strengthens enforcement compared with the earlier EPCA arrangement.

Four Stages of GRAP

Stage	Delhi AQI	Key measures
Stage I: Poor	201–300	Enforce existing pollution-control norms; prevent regular use of diesel generator sets as a power source.
Stage II: Very Poor	301–400	Additional restrictions on polluting activities and stronger pollution-control measures.
Stage III: Severe	401–450	Ban on construction and demolition activities, subject to specified exemptions; restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV or older diesel cars in Delhi and designated high-vehicle-density districts.
Stage IV: Severe+	Above 450	Stricter construction restrictions with fewer exemptions; entry ban on trucks into Delhi, except specified BS-VI, electric, CNG and LNG trucks.

Note: Higher AQI values indicate worse air quality. GRAP can be invoked at any time of the year, although its stricter stages are commonly imposed during winter.

Effectiveness of GRAP

• Limited long-term impact: GRAP helps temporarily reduce emissions during severe pollution episodes but does not address the structural causes of air pollution.
• CREA findings: According to an analysis released on October 22, 2026, by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Delhi’s mean winter AQI showed no consistent improvement over four years.

Winter	Mean AQI	Median AQI
2022–23	280	294
2023–24	304	324
2024–25	285	289
2025–26	295	305

- Key inference: Both mean and median AQI in 2025–26 were higher than in 2022–23, indicating that the 2022 revision of GRAP has not produced a sustained downward trend in winter pollution.

Additional Restrictions in Delhi This Winter

• Vehicle restrictions: A Delhi government notification dated June 23, 2026, prohibits the plying of non-Delhi-registered motor vehicles below BS-VI emission standards in Delhi from November 1 to January 31, exempting electric, CNG, emergency and sovereign-duty vehicles.
• Higher parking charges: Existing parking charges at authorised parking sites are to be doubled from November 1 to February 28 to discourage private vehicle use, except at parking facilities owned and managed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
• Priority of orders: If these restrictions conflict with GRAP directions, GRAP takes precedence.
• Significance: Unlike GRAP, these seasonal restrictions apply irrespective of the prevailing AQI, potentially extending pollution-control efforts beyond emergency response.

Way Forward

• Long-term emission reduction: Control vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, waste burning and agricultural residue burning through sustained measures rather than seasonal restrictions alone.
• Regional coordination: Delhi-NCR and neighbouring States must coordinate pollution monitoring and emission-control strategies because pollutants cross administrative boundaries.
• Clean transport and energy: Strengthen public transport, cleaner vehicle adoption, reliable electricity supply and alternatives to diesel generators.
• Scientific monitoring: Improve forecasting, source-apportionment studies and enforcement to target the most significant pollution sources.
• Structural approach: GRAP should function as an emergency response mechanism within a comprehensive, year-round clean-air strategy, supported by measurable targets, accountability and public participation.