Delhi air pollution today: GRAP 1 rules now in force, and what each stage bans
Published · Updated
Latest updates
- : CAQM invoked GRAP Stage I on 21 October after Delhi's AQI reached 244; coal is now barred in hotels and restaurants
CAQM invoked GRAP Stage I on 21 October after Delhi's AQI rose from 179 to 244 in a day. Coal is now barred in hotels and restaurants, and diesel generators are for emergencies only. What each stage bans, and what comes next.
Original report · Explained
Which GRAP stage is in force in Delhi today? Stage I: the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on 21 October 2026 after Delhi's air quality index (AQI) crossed 200, reaching 244 at 2 pm, India Today reported, citing the CAQM order (India Today, 2026). A day earlier, on 20 October, AQI was 179, "moderate", and no stage was in force (India TV News, 2026).
Under the GRAP 1 rules, Delhi now bars coal in hotels and restaurants and allows diesel generators only in emergencies, ABP Live reported (ABP Live, 2026). See how every outlet covered GRAP Stage I.
We turned CAQM's schedule, as revised on 28 September 2026, into a stage-by-stage checklist, and set it against two editorials that argue about blame but never say what each stage bans.
What we know
Stage I is in force, the air is "poor", and forecasters expect it to stay that way.
- The trigger: AQI rose from 179 on 20 October to 244 at 2 pm on 21 October, the figure India Today cites from the CAQM order (India Today, 2026). Stage I covers the "poor" band of 201-300 (Sunday Guardian, 2026).
- Readings differ by hour: 227 at 7:05 am (Sunday Guardian, 2026), 233 at 9 am (ABP Live, 2026) and 244 at 2 pm (India Today, 2026).
- Curbs now on: no coal in hotels and restaurants, and diesel generators only in emergencies, on top of the Stage I rules below (ABP Live, 2026).
- The forecast: IMD and IITM forecasts say poor air will persist, with falling temperatures, cold haze, low wind and fewer westerly disturbances (India Today, 2026).
How to tell which stage is on
The stage in force is what CAQM has invoked, shown on the CAQM website, not the number on an AQI app, Mint reported (Mint, 2026). Stage I is invoked when AQI turns "poor", The Times of India said, but CAQM can also invoke a stage on forecasts (Times of India, 2026).
- Stage I, Poor: AQI 201-300.
- Stage II, Very Poor: 301-400.
- Stage III, Severe: 401-450.
- Stage IV, Severe+: above 450.
Each stage keeps every curb from the stages below it (PIB, 2025; Mint, 2026; Business Today, 2025).
What each stage bans
Stage I, the 31-point plan in PIB's 19 May 2026 release, targets dust, burning and visibly polluting vehicles (PIB, 2026):
- Dust rules at construction sites of 500 sq m or more, and anti-smog guns.
- A ban on open burning.
- Impounding visibly polluting vehicles and enforcing over-age vehicle orders.
- Since 28 September: diesel generator curbs, and non-EV, non-CNG, non-BS-VI intercity buses barred from entering Delhi-NCR (Mint, 2026; Superkalam, 2026).
- In force from 21 October: no coal in hotels and restaurants, and diesel generators only in emergencies (ABP Live, 2026).
Stage II adds staggered office hours in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar, moved down from Stage III in November 2025, and higher parking fees (PIB, 2025).
Stage III bars BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar; Sonipat was added on 28 September. NCR states decide on 50% work from home (Mint, 2026).
Stage IV bars heavy goods vehicles from Delhi except LNG, CNG, electric and BS-VI diesel, and bans Delhi-registered BS-IV and older diesel trucks. The exemption for older goods vehicles carrying essentials is gone at Stages III and IV (Mint, 2026).
What it means for Delhi residents this week
With Stage I on, most drivers are unaffected; builders, generator users, hotels and restaurants, and visibly smoky vehicles are. Car bans start only at Stage III.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the city's Winter Action Plan on 20 October, Sunday Guardian reported. From 1 November to 28 February it adds "No PUC, No Fuel", bars non-BS-VI vehicles from outside Delhi from 1 November to 31 January, and adds dust curbs, with a wider ban from 10 December to 20 January (Sunday Guardian, 2026; India TV News, 2026).
The source mix explains why roads come first. On 18 October transport made up 23.2% of Delhi's PM2.5, while stubble burning was 0.2%, forecast to reach about 12% by Wednesday, The Times of India reported.
Farm fires and the law
Punjab recorded 191 farm fires from 15 September to 16 October, against 188 a year earlier, by ICAR-IARI's count, The Times of India reported. CAQM sent notices on 16 October to officials in Amritsar and Tarn Taran, with replies due on 21 October. Breaking CAQM Act orders carries up to 5 years in jail and a fine of up to ₹1 crore (Times of India, 2026).
On the "right to clean air": Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on 12 October that the Supreme Court's environmental case law holds that the right to life under Article 21 includes pollution-free water and air, The Indian Express reported (Indian Express, 2026).
What the editorials argue
One blames citizens, the other farm economics.
- The New Indian Express (18 October) notes that AQI.in readings jumped from 65 to 216 in 24 hours and that CAQM logged 55 violations at its 141st meeting. It argues clean air is a civic culture taught at home: "No mission is more important than the one that insists on clean air to breathe." It cites no law despite the "right" in its title.
- Mint (Bloomberg Opinion) argues satellite fire counts are gamed: large Punjab fires after 3 pm, when satellites have passed, rose from about 3% in 2021 to over 90% in 2024 and 2025. A quarter of residue machines sit idle, it says. Its verdict: "Until that acreage starts shrinking, no amount of technology will clear Delhi's skies."
Neither says which stage applies today or what it bans.
The other side
Mint's column argues satellite fire alerts miss burning after 3 pm, which matters when reading any fire count. CAQM's response so far is enforcement: the revised schedule and notices to district officials. The Article 21 line is a statement of case law by the Chief Justice, not a new order.
What happens next
Forecasters expect "poor" air to continue. The early-warning system expects "poor" air on each day from 21 to 23 October and similar air after that, Sunday Guardian reported (Sunday Guardian, 2026); India TV News and The Times of India had forecast the same run. The Winter Action Plan starts on 1 November.
What we don't know yet
- The text and exact time of CAQM's Stage I order: we have not opened it, and the 244 reading comes from India Today's report of it.
- Whether Amritsar and Tarn Taran officials replied to CAQM's farm-fire notices, which were due on 21 October.
- Whether AQI will reach the "very poor" band of 301-400 that brings Stage II; forecasts so far say "poor".
Questions people are asking
Which GRAP stage is on in Delhi today?
Stage I, invoked by CAQM on 21 October 2026 after AQI reached 244 at 2 pm (India Today, 2026).
What are the GRAP 1 rules in Delhi?
Dust rules at large construction sites, a ban on open burning, action against visibly polluting vehicles, no coal in hotels and restaurants, and diesel generators only in emergencies (PIB, 2026; ABP Live, 2026).
Are cars banned under GRAP Stage 1?
No. Stage I targets visibly polluting and over-age vehicles; BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars are barred only from Stage III.
At what AQI does GRAP Stage 3 start?
At 401-450, the "severe" band (Mint, 2026).
Is clean air a legal right in India?
The Chief Justice said on 12 October that case law reads it into the right to life under Article 21 (Indian Express, 2026).
References
- India Today (2026) Delhi Air Turns 'Poor' Ahead Of Diwali, GRAP 1 Imposed As AQI Hits 244. India Today. Available at: Delhi Air Turns 'Poor' Ahead Of Diwali, GRAP 1 Imposed (Accessed: 21 October 2026).
- ABP Live (2026) GRAP 1 Restrictions Enforced Across Delhi-NCR As Air Quality Deteriorates. ABP Live. Available at: GRAP 1 Restrictions Enforced Across Delhi-NCR (Accessed: 21 October 2026).
- Sunday Guardian (2026) Delhi AQI Today: Air Quality Remains 'Poor' As Haze Covers Capital; Check Weather Forecast And Winter Action Plan. Sunday Guardian Live. Available at: Delhi AQI Today: Air Quality Remains 'Poor' (Accessed: 21 October 2026).
- New Indian Express (2026) Turn right to clean air into a civic duty. The New Indian Express. Available at: Turn right to clean air into a civic duty (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Bloomberg Opinion (2026) Delhi smog: Why satellites and machinery are unlikely to solve the problem. Mint. Available at: Delhi smog: Why satellites and machinery are unlikely to solve the problem (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Mint (2026) New GRAP Rules in Delhi; Restrictions in NCR October 2026. Mint. Available at: New GRAP Rules in Delhi (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- PIB (2025) CAQM revises GRAP schedule, making it more stringent. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Available at: CAQM revises GRAP schedule (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- PIB (2026) CAQM invokes Stage-I of GRAP across Delhi-NCR as AQI enters 'Poor' category. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Available at: CAQM invokes Stage-I of GRAP (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Mint (2026) CAQM tightens Delhi-NCR's GRAP pollution measures. Mint. Available at: CAQM tightens Delhi-NCR's GRAP pollution measures (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Business Today (2025) Delhi AQI worsens: GRAP Stage IV imposed across NCR. Business Today. Available at: GRAP Stage IV imposed across NCR (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- India TV News (2026) Delhi's air quality set to worsen to 'poor' from October 21. India TV News. Available at: Delhi's air quality set to worsen to 'poor' (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Superkalam (2026) CAQM Approves Revised GRAP Schedule. Superkalam. Available at: CAQM Approves Revised GRAP Schedule (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Times of India (2026) CAQM issues notices to Amritsar, Tarn Taran officials over rise in farm fires. The Times of India. Available at: CAQM issues notices to Amritsar, Tarn Taran officials (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Indian Express (2026) Right to life includes right to enjoy pollution-free water and air: CJI Surya Kant. The Indian Express. Available at: Right to life includes right to enjoy pollution-free water and air (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Times of India (2026) Delhi air set to worsen to 'poor' for first time this season. The Times of India. Available at: Delhi air set to worsen to 'poor' for first time this season (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
How we did this
We built the checklist from CAQM's GRAP schedule as published by PIB (May 2026 and November 2025 releases) and the 28 September 2026 revisions as reported by Mint and Superkalam; CAQM's own site did not render for us, so we could not open the full revised schedule. Today's AQI and forecast come from India TV News and The Times of India, 18-20 October. We opened both editorials in full, summarised them in our own words and quoted once from each. For this update, on 21 and 22 October, we read India Today, which cites the CAQM order, and ABP Live and Sunday Guardian for the Stage I curbs, the hourly AQI readings and the Winter Action Plan; we have not opened the CAQM order itself. The hero is our flow chart of the four stages and today's position.
This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.
Covered by 26 outlets across the spectrum: 23% left, 27% center, 50% right.
Who is covering this story
- Left-leaning (4): Indian Express, Superkalam (summary of Indian Express report), The New Indian Express, NDTV
- Center (5): Business Today, Mint, The Hindu BusinessLine, Mid-Day, DNA India
- Right-leaning (7): Times of India, India TV English, PIB, Sunday Guardian, India Today, Times Now, Zee News English
Sources
- Cji surya kant right to water human rights — Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- CAQM Approves Revised GRAP Schedule; Tightens Measures for Vehicles, Dust and Pollution Control | UPSC Current Affairs, 30 Sep, 2026 - PIB — Superkalam (summary of Indian Express report) (left-leaning) ·
- CAQM issues notices to Amritsar, Tarn Taran officials over rise in farm fires | Delhi News - The Times of India — Times of India (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi air set to worsen to ‘poor’ for first time this season — Times of India (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi AQI worsens: GRAP Stage IV imposed across NCR hours after Stage III amid rising pollution - BusinessToday — Business Today (center) ·
- Delhi s air quality likely to slip into poor category from wednesday as winter pollution season approaches — India TV English (right-leaning) ·
- CAQM tightens Delhi-NCR's GRAP pollution measures: Here's what vehicle owners need to know | Mint — Mint (center) ·
- New GRAP Rules in Delhi; Restrictions in NCR October 2026: How AQI will decide car entry - Where to check updates daily | Today News — Mint (center) ·
- Delhi smog: Why satellites and machinery are unlikely to solve the problem—and what actually might | Mint — Mint (center) ·
- Turn right to clean air into a civic duty — The New Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- CAQM revises GRAP schedule, making it more stringent to Prevent further Deterioration of Air Quality in Delhi–NCR — PIB (right-leaning) ·
- CAQM invokes Stage-I of GRAP across Delhi-NCR as AQI enters ‘Poor’ category — PIB (right-leaning) ·
- Air turns poor in Delhi, Govt invokes GRAP I curbs — The Hindu BusinessLine (center) ·
- Pollution Curbs Under GRAP-1 Imposed In Delhi, Parking Charges To Be Doubled — NDTV (left-leaning) ·
- Air Quality Commission Meets Delhi Government Agencies Over Dust Pollution — NDTV (left-leaning) ·
- Delhi AQI Today: Air Quality Remains ‘Poor’ As Haze Covers Capital; Check Weather Forecast And Winter Action Plan — Sunday Guardian (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi Air Turns 'Poor' Ahead Of Diwali, GRAP 1 Imposed As AQI Hits 244 — India Today (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi Air Pollution: First 'Poor' AQI Day Of Season, GRAP Stage I Kicks In — Times Now (right-leaning) ·
- Season's first 'poor' air day, GRAP-I invoked in Delhi-NCR — The New Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Delhi-NCR gripped by smog as AQI hits 245; GRAP-1 enforced amid nationwide weather shifts — Zee News English (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi’s air quality remains poor for second day, AQI recorded at 226 — Mid-Day (center) ·
- Delhi AQI Update: Air Quality Remains In 'Poor' Category For Third Straight Day — Times Now (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi AQI Drops to 223 'Poor' Category, GRAP-1 Kicks In as Transporters Warn of Price Hikes — India Today (right-leaning) ·
- Delhi Air Quality in 'Poor' Category, GRAP 1 Invoked as Stubble Burning Continues — India Today (right-leaning) ·
- War on Delhi's air pollution intensifies: Joint teams, bus diversions, outstation vehicle curbs — DNA India (center) ·
- Delhi Air Quality Worsens Post-Dussehra as AQI Nears 300; Firecrackers Spike PM2.5, GRAP Stage I Enacted — India Today (right-leaning) ·