The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has approved a revised schedule of air pollution control actions that impose stricter rules on vehicles, construction dust and industrial emissions across Delhi and surrounding districts. The changes, approved at CAQM’s meeting on 28 September 2026, make it harder for polluting vehicles to operate and require tighter monitoring of construction work in the region.
Key facts
- Revised GRAP now has 48 total actions across four stages: 25 in Stage-I, 8 in Stage-II, 10 in Stage-III and 5 in Stage-IV
- Vehicle restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars extended to Sonipat district, in addition to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar
- DG set restrictions and bans on entry of older buses moved from Stage-II to Stage-I, triggering earlier in pollution season
- Exemption removed for BS-IV and below goods vehicles carrying essential goods in Stage-III and Stage-IV
- Web portal monitoring of construction dust now covers sites beyond municipal limits in industrial zones and development areas
- Two technical members appointed to CAQM for three years: Mukesh Sharma and Trilok Singh Panwar
- As of 17 September 2026, 1,831 polluting units issued closure orders; 1,479 cleared to resume after fixing violations
- Against a 2026-27 plantation target of 4.6 crore trees and plants across NCR, 4.14 crore have been planted as of 22 September 2026
What changed in the revised GRAP schedule
The Graded Response Action Plan is a set of escalating pollution control measures that become stricter as air quality worsens. The revised schedule reorganizes and tightens these measures across four stages.
Stage-I actions have been expanded to 25 measures and now include restrictions that previously kicked in at Stage-II. Notably, rules against diesel generator sets and the ban on entry of buses that meet BS-IV emissions standard or below are now triggered at Stage-I instead of waiting for Stage-II. This means these restrictions will apply earlier in the pollution season when air quality first begins to deteriorate.
The revision also strengthens vehicle restrictions. Vehicles with older diesel engines that meet BS-IV standard or below will now be barred from entering Delhi, and this restriction applies even if they are carrying essential goods in Stage-III and Stage-IV conditions. Previously, essential commodities vehicles had some exemptions. Sonipat district has been added to the list of areas where BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles cannot ply, joining Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.
Stage-III allows minor relaxation for road repairs, such as pothole fixing, recognizing that some maintenance work cannot be entirely halted even during severe air quality episodes.
Construction dust monitoring expanded
CAQM has also amended its Direction Nos. 11-18 to extend web-based monitoring of dust control at construction and demolition sites. The portal registration system, previously limited to sites within municipal limits, now covers projects in areas beyond city boundaries, including industrial development areas, industrial zones and highway corridors, provided they follow statutory planning rules.
The minimum project size threshold of 500 square metres plot area remains unchanged. This expansion means more construction sites across the National Capital Region will be required to register and report on dust control compliance through an online system.
Enforcement and compliance action
CAQM’s Enforcement Task Force has issued closure orders to 1,831 polluting industrial units. Of these, 1,479 have been cleared to resume operations after corrective measures were verified. A further 126 cases were transferred to state and Delhi pollution control boards because those units were unresponsive, permanently shut or had relocated.
Plantation progress and sports advisory
Plantation efforts across Delhi-NCR in 2026-27 have achieved 4.14 crore trees and plants against a target of 4.6 crore. Delhi exceeded its target with 62 lakh plants, Uttar Pradesh achieved 1.86 crore against 1.71 crore target, and Rajasthan achieved 1.16 crore against 1.07 crore target. Haryana, however, achieved 60 lakh against a target of 1.2 crore and faces continued follow-up pressure.
CAQM has also reiterated an advisory that physical sports competitions scheduled in November-December should be rescheduled to protect student health during the region’s worst air quality months.
What this means for you
If you own a BS-III petrol or BS-IV diesel car in Sonipat, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad or Gautam Budh Nagar, stricter restrictions will apply when air quality deteriorates. Truck and goods vehicle operators will find it harder to claim exemptions for essential supplies. Construction companies must register all sites on the web portal and follow dust control norms more comprehensively. Citizens will see earlier restrictions on polluting sources like diesel generators and old buses as Stage-I thresholds are crossed.
What happens next
State governments and pollution control boards must implement the revised GRAP schedule immediately. Authorities must monitor plantation survival and continue closure actions against non-compliant industrial units. CAQM will track compliance through the expanded web portal for construction sites.