CAQM Revises GRAP Schedule, Tightens Vehicle and Dust Curbs Across NCR

The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas has approved a revised Graded Response Action Plan schedule, restructuring how pollution-control measures will be rolled out across the region as winter approaches.

The decision came at the Commission's 30th full meeting, held on 28 September 2026 under the chairmanship of Rajesh Verma. The revised schedule consolidates repeated dust-control, municipal solid waste and transport actions into Stage-I, and shifts measures concerning diesel generator sets and the entry of buses conforming to BS-IV and below from Stage-II to Stage-I.

Under the new framework, restrictions on plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel or lower-standard light motor vehicles have been extended to Sonipat, in addition to the existing high-pollution districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. The exemption earlier available to BS-IV and below goods vehicles — light and medium goods vehicles in Stage-III and trucks and heavy goods vehicles in Stage-IV — carrying essential commodities has been removed.

The revised schedule also explicitly places restrictions on the entry into Delhi of diesel-operated BS-IV and below-standard light and medium goods vehicles registered outside the capital under Stage-III. Minor relaxation has been allowed under Action No. 1 of Stage-III, including the repairing of potholes. Citizens' charters for each stage have been updated with additional do's and don'ts.

The restructured plan now carries 25 actions in Stage-I, eight in Stage-II, ten in Stage-III and five in Stage-IV, for a total of 48 actions.

Separately, the Commission approved an amendment to Direction Nos. 11-18 dated 11 June 2021 to strengthen web portal-based monitoring of dust-control measures at construction and demolition sites. The amendment extends the registration and monitoring mechanism to eligible projects located beyond municipal limits in urban areas, controlled areas, development and industrial development areas, industrial zones and highway corridor zones, as applicable under the relevant statutory and planning frameworks. The existing threshold of a plot area of 500 square metres or more, along with other requirements, remains unchanged.

The Commission also took note of Advisory No. 18 issued on 10 September 2026 on rescheduling physical sports competitions planned for November and December. The advisory reiterates that such events in NCR should be appropriately rescheduled in view of prevailing air quality trends, particularly to protect students' health.

It further noted the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet's approval for the appointment of two full-time technical members to the Commission for three years or until they attain the age of 70, whichever is earlier. Mukesh Sharma and Trilok Singh Panwar have been appointed to the posts.

On enforcement, the Commission was apprised of the status of Enforcement Task Force decisions, inspections, and the closure and resumption of units. As on 17 September 2026, closure orders had been issued to 1,831 violating units, of which 1,479 cases were considered for resumption after compliance and resumption orders issued accordingly. A total of 126 cases were transferred to state pollution control boards and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee for further action where units were found unresponsive, permanently closed or shifted elsewhere. Between 11 August and 17 September 2026, the task force continued to examine non-compliance cases and applications for resumption after corrective measures.

The Commission also reviewed greening and plantation progress against targets fixed for 2026-27. Against an overall target of 4,60,54,740 plantations covering trees, shrubs and bamboo, 4,13,68,929 plantations had been achieved as on 22 September 2026. Delhi recorded 62,00,527 against a target of 58,01,386; Uttar Pradesh (NCR) achieved 1,85,59,812 against 1,71,44,900; Rajasthan (NCR) reached 1,16,13,092 against 1,07,09,754; while Haryana (NCR) stood at 60,00,000 against a target of 1,20,00,000. The Commission stressed continued follow-up and monitoring by authorities to meet the stipulated targets and ensure the survival of plantations.