GRAP Stages Explained: From Stage I to Stage IV

Quick Reference Table

Stage I — Poor Air Quality (AQI 201–300)

Stage I represents the first line of response, activated when the Delhi-NCR average AQI enters the "Poor" category. While the air at this level is not yet at crisis point, it is unhealthy for sensitive groups and signals the onset of deteriorating conditions. The CAQM may invoke Stage I pre-emptively based on forecast models if AQI is expected to breach 200 within 72 hours.

Key Actions Under Stage I

• Complete ban on open burning — No burning of waste, biomass, leaves, or any material in open areas across the NCR. Municipal agencies are directed to deploy surveillance teams and impose spot fines.
• Construction and demolition (C&D) dust control — All C&D sites with an area of 500 square metres or more must strictly implement dust-mitigation measures: anti-smog nets on building perimeters, wind-breaking walls of at least 24 feet height, water sprinklers operating at regular intervals, and covered material storage. Non-compliant sites face closure.
• Diesel generator (DG) set restrictions — DG sets with a rating of up to 800 kVA are prohibited from operation, except for those used in essential and emergency services (hospitals, data centres, airports, railway signalling, water treatment plants).
• Coal and firewood ban in eateries — Restaurants, dhabas, and street food stalls are prohibited from using coal or firewood in tandoors and open-fire cooking setups. Only LPG, PNG, or electric cooking is permitted.
• Mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling — Municipal corporations are directed to ensure daily mechanised sweeping on all arterial and sub-arterial roads, and deploy water-sprinkler tankers on roads with heavy traffic to suppress re-suspended dust.
• Strict enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates — Traffic police and transport department officials increase checks on visibly polluting vehicles and those without valid PUC certificates.

Stage II — Very Poor Air Quality (AQI 301–400)

Stage II marks a significant escalation. The air is now dangerous for the general population, not just sensitive groups, and the CAQM's interventions expand beyond baseline pollution control to actively reshape transport, commercial, and industrial activity across the region.

Key Actions Under Stage II

• Complete diesel generator ban — All DG sets are prohibited from operation, regardless of capacity, with exceptions only for essential and emergency services as defined by CAQM (hospitals, airports, railway operations, defence installations, ISPs and data centres, water and sewage pumping stations, and Delhi Metro).
• Hotspot-targeted pollution control — The CAQM identifies the 15-20 most polluted monitoring stations in the NCR and directs district administrations to deploy dedicated action squads to these hotspots. Actions include intensive road-watering, anti-smog gun deployment, closure of non-compliant waste-burning sites, and door-to-door enforcement of the open-burning ban.
• Parking fee hikes — State transport departments are directed to increase on-street and commercial parking fees by a minimum of 3× to 5× to discourage private vehicle usage. Revenue from the hike is earmarked for public transport subsidies.
• Enhanced public transport — Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster bus operators augment bus services on key corridors with additional trips. Delhi Metro increases service frequency during peak hours. State transport corporations in Haryana and UP are directed to run additional inter-city services on NCR routes.
• Resident welfare advisories — State governments issue public advisories through media, SMS campaigns, and social media urging citizens to avoid strenuous outdoor exercise, use public transport, and report violations of GRAP provisions through complaint hotlines and mobile applications.

Stage III — Severe Air Quality (AQI 401–450)

Stage III represents a severe public health emergency. The AQI has breached 400 — a level at which prolonged outdoor exposure poses serious respiratory and cardiovascular risks for even healthy adults. The restrictions at this stage are sweeping and economically disruptive, reflecting the gravity of the situation.

Key Actions Under Stage III

• Vehicle bans — All BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are banned from plying on roads within the NCR. This affects millions of vehicles. Only BS-VI compliant, CNG-powered, electric, and hybrid vehicles are permitted. Two-wheelers registered before the equivalent emission norms may also face restrictions.
• Complete construction and demolition halt — All C&D activities are suspended across the NCR — no exceptions for project size. This includes public infrastructure projects such as highways, flyovers, and metro extensions, unless specifically exempted by CAQM on grounds of national importance or safety.
• Stone crusher and hot-mix plant closures — All stone-crushing units, hot-mix plants, and ready-mix concrete (RMC) batching plants in the NCR are ordered to shut down.
• Mining ban — All mining and associated activities (excavation, transportation of mined material) in NCR districts are suspended.
• Enhanced traffic fines — Traffic fines for violating Stage III vehicle restrictions are set at ₹20,000 per violation. Repeat offenders face vehicle impoundment. Automated enforcement through ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras is intensified at key entry and exit points.
• Outdoor activity restrictions — Schools are directed to suspend all outdoor physical activities, sports periods, and inter-school events. Colleges and universities are advised to shift to hybrid modes where possible.

Stage IV — Severe+ Emergency (AQI >450)

Stage IV is the highest level of GRAP — an outright emergency. It is invoked when the AQI exceeds 450, indicating air quality conditions that are hazardous for all living beings. The measures at this stage are the most restrictive and effectively shut down significant portions of the NCR's economic and social activity.

Key Actions Under Stage IV

• Truck entry ban — All trucks, except those carrying essential commodities (food, fuel, medical supplies, perishables) and those powered by CNG, LNG, or electric drivetrains, are banned from entering Delhi. This restriction extends to the entire NCR for non-essential freight movement.
• Out-of-state diesel light commercial vehicle (LCV) ban — Diesel-powered LCVs registered outside Delhi are prohibited from entering the capital. This targets the large number of inter-state delivery vehicles that contribute significantly to vehicular emissions.
• School closures — All schools up to Class XII shift to online instruction. Physical attendance is suspended. CAQM may also direct universities and professional colleges to adopt online-only modes depending on the duration of the emergency.
• 50% work-from-home mandate for offices — Government offices in Delhi are required to operate with no more than 50% physical attendance. Private sector employers are strongly advised to implement similar work-from-home policies. State governments may issue binding orders for private offices if the emergency persists beyond 48 hours.
• Water sprinkling operations — Intensive water-sprinkling using tankers and anti-smog guns is deployed across all major road corridors, construction hotspots, and industrial areas. The Delhi Jal Board and Irrigation departments of neighbouring states coordinate water supply for these operations.
• Emergency health measures — Hospitals are directed to activate emergency respiratory-illness wards. Government dispensaries increase distribution of N95 masks in low-income areas. Ambulance services are placed on heightened alert.

How and When Are Stages Revoked?

GRAP stages are revoked through a structured de-escalation process. The CAQM does not automatically revoke a stage the moment AQI dips below its threshold — instead, it follows a stability criterion to prevent the disruptive cycle of repeated invocation and revocation.

The general principle is that a stage is considered for revocation only when the AQI is forecast to remain consistently below the stage's lower threshold for at least 72 hours. The CAQM sub-committee reviews IITM and SAFAR forecasts alongside real-time data before issuing a revocation order. De-escalation always proceeds one stage at a time — GRAP cannot jump from Stage IV directly to Stage I.

For example, if Stage III has been in effect and the AQI drops below 400, the CAQM will first verify that forecasts do not predict a rebound. Only when there is reasonable confidence that conditions will remain below the threshold will Stage III be revoked, returning the region to Stage II restrictions. Stage II actions remain in force until the AQI is projected to stay below 300, and so on.

This cautious approach has drawn both praise — for preventing whiplash effects on enforcement agencies and the public — and criticism — from industries arguing that restrictions persist unnecessarily after conditions improve.

Penalties and Enforcement

GRAP's effectiveness ultimately depends on enforcement and the threat of penalties. The penalty framework has been significantly strengthened under the CAQM Act, 2021, which gives the commission quasi-judicial authority to impose fines and initiate prosecution.

Penalty Structure

• Individual violations (open burning, waste burning): Fines of ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 per incident, imposed by municipal enforcement squads or DPCC/state board inspectors.
• Construction site violations: Non-compliant C&D sites face environmental compensation ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 per day. Repeated or wilful violations result in site sealing and orders prohibiting resumption until compliance is verified by inspection.
• Industrial violations: Industries operating in defiance of GRAP closure orders face fines of up to ₹5,00,000 per violation. Under the CAQM Act, penalties for persistent non-compliance can extend up to ₹50,00,000 (fifty lakh rupees), with imprisonment provisions for responsible officers.
• Vehicle challans: Driving a banned-category vehicle during Stage III or Stage IV attracts a minimum fine of ₹20,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act (as enhanced by GRAP-specific orders). Vehicles may also be impounded for a period of up to 7 days. Repeat offenders face doubled penalties.
• DG set violations: Operating a diesel generator in violation of GRAP restrictions results in fines of ₹50,000 to ₹5,00,000 depending on the capacity of the DG set and the nature of the establishment.

Despite these provisions, enforcement remains uneven. Independent audits by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have noted that penalties are often issued but rarely collected, and that small-scale violators — waste-burners, unauthorised tandoor operators, and roadside construction dumps — frequently escape scrutiny due to limited inspection capacity. The CAQM has responded by expanding its complaint-based enforcement mechanism and integrating GIS-based monitoring tools, but the gap between policy and ground-level compliance remains one of GRAP's most persistent challenges.