Subhechcha Ganguly 
As Delhi grapples with a thick blanket of smog on the morning of November 15, the city’s air quality has worsened to “severe” levels, prompting the implementation of Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from 8 am on Friday. The move, triggered by dangerously high AQI readings, includes restrictions on construction activities and a ban on the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
In response to the hazardous air quality, the Delhi government has announced that primary school classes will shift to online mode. Areas such as Bawana (AQI 455), Dwarka Sector 8 (AQI 444), and Jahangirpuri (AQI 458) recorded some of the worst air quality readings in the city, with the AQI surpassing 400, which falls under the “severe” category. The National Capital, including Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram, remains heavily impacted by the persistent pollution.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed the Delhi government and NCR states to enforce stringent restrictions on the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, as well as in neighboring areas like Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. The order stipulates that any violation of these restrictions will result in a fine of ₹20,000.
