GRAP-4 Imposed In Delhi And Surrounding Areas As AQI Breaches 400

Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region are once again under the toughest pollution restrictions after air quality worsened sharply over the weekend. Authorities moved quickly to reintroduce Stage-IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as pollution levels edged closer to the “Severe+” category.

AQI Rises Rapidly Within Hours

Data from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) showed a worrying spike in pollution levels on Saturday. The AQI stood at 400 around 4 pm but rose to 428 by late evening. Officials blamed highly unfavourable weather conditions, including western disturbance and weak winds, which prevented pollutants from dispersing and trapped toxic air over the region.

Why GRAP-4 Was Triggered Early

Despite the AQI not officially crossing 450, the CAQM’s GRAP sub-committee unanimously decided to activate all Stage-IV measures as a precaution. The move was aimed at preventing further deterioration and avoiding prolonged exposure to hazardous air quality across Delhi-NCR.