Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday announced the revocation of Stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR, citing improved air quality levels. Measures under Stages 1, 2, and 3 will remain in place to manage pollution effectively, ANI reported.
Stage 4 restrictions, imposed since December 16 due to a sharp rise in pollution, included a ban on construction and demolition activities, the entry of trucks and light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi, and the prohibition of BS-IV or lower medium and heavy goods vehicles.
The decision to lift the restrictions followed a steady improvement in the Air Quality Index (AQI), which stood at 369 at 4 PM on Tuesday, categorized as “very poor.” This figure is 31 points below the Supreme Court-mandated threshold of 400, which triggers Stage 4 measures.
GRAP is a structured framework to combat Delhi’s winter pollution, categorizing air quality into four stages based on AQI levels: Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400), Severe (401-450), and Severe Plus (above 450). The CAQM emphasized that while Stage 4 measures are no longer in effect, continued efforts under the remaining stages are crucial to ensure air quality does not worsen.
The announcement has brought relief to industries and commuters affected by the stringent measures, but authorities urged the public to follow pollution-control guidelines to maintain the improving air quality.
