Delhi Under GRAP Stage III: What Changed From Stage II
Delhi-NCR's AQI hit 382 this week and CAQM invoked GRAP Stage III. Here is what is newly banned, why it happened just before Diwali, and how to stay safe.
Delhi-NCR's air got noticeably worse this week. On Friday, 6 November, the city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 382, firmly inside the "very poor" band, with some monitoring stations reading far higher. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) responded the same evening by invoking Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the entire National Capital Region, on top of the Stage I and Stage II curbs already in force.
This is an escalation, not a brand-new emergency. We covered the move into [GRAP Stage II](/post/delhi-s-air-turns-very-poor-what-grap-stage-ii-means-for-you) earlier this month, when the AQI first crossed 300. Stage III adds a tighter set of rules on top of that, timed just two days before Diwali, when firecracker smoke typically pushes the air quality even lower.
Why CAQM moved to Stage III
CAQM's Sub-Committee on GRAP called the move "precautionary," based on forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) showing no quick improvement. On the day of the decision, some of the worst readings came from IIT Delhi and Rohini, both at 474, with Punjabi Bagh at 465, RK Puram at 443, ITO at 422, Firoz Shah Road at 420 and India Gate at 403 - several of these already in "severe" territory even while the city average sat at "very poor."
What Stage III actually adds
GRAP stages are cumulative: Stage III restrictions apply in addition to everything already active under Stage I and II.
Construction and demolition
A ban on dust-generating construction and demolition across the NCR, including excavation, earthwork, piling, road construction and stone cutting. Essential projects - railways, metro, airports, hospitals, highways, power lines, sewage and water supply, and national-security works - are exempt if they follow dust-control rules.
Stone crushers and mining
Ordered to shut down or operate under tight restrictions.
Vehicles
BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are restricted in Delhi and the NCR districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar and Sonipat. Older diesel medium goods vehicles registered in Delhi, and certain light commercial vehicles registered outside the capital, also face curbs.
Schools
Classes up to Class 5 in Delhi and the listed NCR districts move to hybrid mode, with online options where possible.
Offices and generators
State governments and the Delhi administration may cut office staff to 50%, with the rest working from home; the Centre may decide separately for its own employees. Diesel generator sets are restricted except for emergency and essential services.
Public transport
Extra Metro trips and additional buses are added to reduce private vehicle use.
What this means for you this week
- If you live in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar or Sonipat and drive an older BS-III petrol or BS-IV diesel car, check your Pollution Under Control certificate and vehicle category before you need to go out - these vehicles can now be stopped.
- If your child is in a government or private school up to Class 5 in the affected districts, check with the school directly on whether classes have shifted to hybrid mode; this is decided locally, not automatically for every school.
- If you work for a state government office in Delhi or NCR, ask your employer whether the 50% attendance rule is being applied, since it is optional for each state to invoke.
- Avoid outdoor exercise during early morning and late evening hours, when pollutants sit closest to the ground, and use a well-fitting N95 or N99 mask outdoors rather than a cloth or surgical one.
What most people miss
- Diwali timing made this worse on purpose, not by accident. CAQM moved early, two days before the festival, precisely because firecracker smoke on top of already-weak winter wind usually pushes AQI even higher around Diwali night.
- The city average hides the worst spots. On the day Stage III was invoked, several stations were already past 400 ("severe") while the official city figure read 382 ("very poor") - so your actual neighbourhood may be breathing worse air than the headline number suggests.
- Stage III school rules are not universal. Hybrid classes apply only up to Class 5, and only in the specific districts named in the CAQM order - a different city or a higher grade is not automatically covered.
- Exemptions matter for construction. Not all construction stops; essential infrastructure projects continue if they meet dust-control conditions, so a crane near your home may still be legally working.
