Delhi Pollution: Trucks, Construction for Public Projects Banned; 50% Staff in Offices | GRAP IV Explained

Amid a severe air quality crisis, the central government told Delhi and NCR states to implement all emergency measures, including the fourth and final stage of its pollution control plan. Under these measures, construction work related to linear public projects in the region have been banned while polluting trucks and commercial four-wheelers will not be allowed to enter the national capital. All government and private offices must also function with 50 percent staff working from home.

While the Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is supposed to be implemented three days before the air quality index (AQI) touches the 450-mark, proactive implementation could not happen this time. Delhi’s AQI worsened from 415 at 4 pm on Saturday (November 4) to 463 at 3 pm on Sunday, due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and a spike in stubble-burning incidents in neighbouring states. The crisis is not confined to Delhi alone; several cities in neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have also reported hazardous air quality.

According to the latest order by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), only CNG, electric and BS VI-compliant vehicles from other states are allowed to enter Delhi with exemptions granted to those involved in essential services. All medium and heavy goods vehicles not engaged in essential services are also banned in the capital. The Delhi government has also announced that all primary schools will be closed for two days in an effort to safeguard young children from health-threatening pollution.

In its last meeting on November 3, the sub-committee for the GRAP unanimously decided to further monitor the air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR, before invoking more stringent and disruptive actions.

Here is all you need to know about Stage-IV of the GRAP:

1. Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except for trucks carrying essential commodities/providing essential services and all LNG/CNG/electric trucks).
2. Do not permit light commercial vehicles (LCV) from outside Delhi, other than electric vehicles/CNG/BS-VI diesel, toenter the capital except those carrying essential commodities/providing essential services.
3. Ban on plying of Delhi-registered diesel operated medium foods vehicles (MGV) and heavy goods vehicles (HGV) in Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities/providing essential services.
4. Ban construction activities also in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridge, power transmission, pipelines among others.
5. Delhi and NCR state governments may take a decision on discontinuing physical classes even for Classes 6 to 9, Class 11 and conduct lessons in an online mode.
6. Delhi and NCR state governments to take a decision on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50 percent strength and the rest to work from home.
7. Central government may take appropriate decision on permitting work from home for employees in its offices.
8. State governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of colleges/educational institutions and closure of non-emergency commercial activities, permitting running of vehicles on odd-even basis of registration numbers.
9. The CAQM has appealed to Delhi-NCR residents to cooperate in implementing GRAP measures and follow steps mentioned in the Citizen Charter under GRAP. Children, elderly and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular orother chronic diseases to avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors, as much as possible.

(With PTI inputs)