New Delhi Bureau
New Delhi. Breathing in the national capital turned difficult once again on Friday as Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 287 in the morning, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. A thick blanket of haze hung over the city skyline through the morning hours and visibility dropped sharply. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, there is little chance of improvement in air quality over the next few days.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), cited in a live blog on Friday morning, recorded an AQI of 255 — in the ‘poor’ category — around the AIIMS area. Weather trackers also placed Delhi’s AQI around 245, with PM2.5 flagged as the primary pollutant. Readings vary slightly across monitoring stations and time slots, but the picture is the same: the air across Delhi-NCR remains choked and heavy.
GRAP Stage-I kicks in: curbs and emergency steps
In view of the deteriorating air, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has enforced Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR. GRAP is a four-stage emergency framework that imposes progressively stricter curbs as the AQI worsens. Stage-I activates in the ‘poor’ category (AQI 201 to 300); later stages kick in at ‘very poor’, ‘severe’ and ‘severe plus’ levels.
Under Stage-I, construction and demolition activities linked to dust pollution face restrictions. The use of coal or firewood is barred at hotels, restaurants and open roadside food stalls across Delhi-NCR. Diesel generator sets have been prohibited. Roads are being sprinkled with water and vacuum machines are deployed to remove dust particles. The administration has directed all agencies to implement CAQM’s guidelines in a time-bound manner so that air quality improves and the situation does not slide further.
In addition, vehicles below the BS-VI emission standard will not be allowed entry into Delhi from November 1. The decision targets vehicular pollution entering the capital from outside. The Delhi Traffic Police has also held an inter-state coordination meeting, discussing steps such as diverting non-compliant buses at Delhi’s borders and strictly checking Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates of vehicles.
Why Delhi’s air worsens at this time every year
Several factors converge every October-November to choke Delhi’s air. Smoke from stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana drifts into the capital with the winds. Pollutants released by Diwali firecrackers linger in the atmosphere for days. As winter sets in, falling temperatures create an ‘inversion’ — a layer of cold air near the ground traps warmer air above it, so pollutants accumulate near the surface instead of dispersing.
Vehicular emissions, dust from construction sites, industrial discharge and garbage burning add to the load. Low wind speed and misty mornings make the problem worse. Experts say that when wind speed is low and humidity is high, fine PM2.5 particles stay suspended in the air for long and travel deep into the lungs when inhaled.
Health impact: who is most at risk
Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people suffering from asthma or respiratory illnesses face the greatest risk from foul air. Prolonged exposure brings complaints of cough, throat irritation, watering eyes, breathlessness and chest tightness. Doctors warn that fine PM2.5 particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and, over time, cause serious disease.
Medical advice for ‘poor’ AQI days: avoid morning walks, keep doors and windows shut, and wear a mask when stepping out. Asthma patients should keep their medication handy and follow their doctor’s advice. Air purifiers indoors can help. Children should avoid playing outdoors for long stretches. Drink enough water and avoid fried food, since the body’s immunity faces extra strain on high-pollution days.
What next: no relief in sight for now
The Air Quality Early Warning System sees no improvement in the coming days. CAQM is monitoring the situation continuously, and later GRAP stages may be invoked if needed. The Delhi government and concerned agencies are working in coordination. If the AQI enters the ‘very poor’ band (301 to 400), Stage-II of GRAP will activate with even tougher restrictions.
One hope lies with the weather. The weather department indicates changing conditions across north India — heavy rain warnings for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and rain likely in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab as well, which could help wash pollutants out of the air. It is not yet clear how intense the rain will be over Delhi itself. Read our report on the weather situation in Madhya Pradesh here.
Disclaimer: This report has been prepared on the basis of available sources and verification. Corrections will be published if any fact is found inaccurate.
