Delhi AQI hits severe levels; GRAP-4 restrictions include hybrid work, vehicle curbs, and mandatory PUC checks. Photo: ANI.
Delhi AQI: Delhi has stepped up its fight against air pollution as the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) slipped into the ‘severe’ category this week. Starting December 18, a series of stringent measures announced by the Delhi government came into effect, aimed at controlling vehicular emissions and reducing outdoor activity.
To ensure strict compliance, authorities have deployed 580 police personnel across 126 checkpoints, including major entry points to the city. Simultaneously, enforcement teams from the Transport Department have been stationed at petrol pumps and border locations to monitor violations and penalize non-compliant vehicles.
The new curbs come on the heels of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issuing GRAP-4 restrictions after Delhi recorded AQI in the ‘severe’ category for three consecutive days since Saturday, December 13.
The Supreme Court, however, criticized CAQM on Wednesday for the limited effectiveness of its measures and urged a more comprehensive approach to tackling the pollution crisis.
Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra announced that all government and private institutions must switch to a hybrid work-from-home model from Thursday. Private offices are required to limit physical attendance to no more than 50% of their workforce, with the remainder working remotely.
Exceptions apply for emergency and frontline workers, including hospital staff, pollution control personnel, fire department officials, and other essential services. Public and private health services, transport, and sanitation services are also exempt from the rule.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that vehicles below the BS-VI emission standard registered outside Delhi will not be allowed entry when GRAP Stages 3 and 4 are active.
Additionally, trucks carrying construction materials into the city have been banned. Sirsa urged, “I appeal to people coming from outside Delhi to bring vehicles that comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission standards.”
The Supreme Court has also lifted protection against coercive action for BS-3 and below vehicles in the national capital.
From Thursday, vehicles without a valid PUC certificate will not be supplied fuel at petrol pumps. A PUC certificate, issued after a standard emissions check at authorized centers across Delhi, ensures vehicles meet pollution control standards.
The certificate costs ₹60 for two- and three-wheeled vehicles, ₹80 for four-wheeled vehicles, and ₹100 for diesel-driven vehicles. It is valid for 12 months for Bharat Stage IV and VI compliant vehicles.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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