GRAP Restrictions Delhi NCR: What's Banned, What's Allowed and Who Gets Fined at Every Stage

One AQI jump can change what you can drive, build or attend within hours. The GRAP restrictions Delhi NCR are designed to address air quality issues in the region. This article promises to provide stage-by-stage rules, vehicle and construction curbs and a live status box.

GRAP restrictions in Delhi NCR today: Stage 1 in force since [October 21, 2026, 10:00 AM] | Source: CAQM.

What is GRAP and Who Decides the Stage?

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is an emergency strategy implemented across the National Capital Region as air quality worsens. It is enforced by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) through its GRAP Sub-Committee. The stages of GRAP are determined by the average AQI of Delhi and forecasts of air quality and weather. It has been revised several times, notably in November 2025 and September 2026, so older articles may contain outdated rules.

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GRAP Stages and AQI Levels at a Glance

Stage	Air Quality	Delhi AQI Range
Stage I	Poor	201-300
Stage II	Very Poor	301-400
Stage III	Severe	401-450
Stage IV	Severe+	Above 450

Note that measures are cumulative; higher stages add to the lower ones. The CAQM can invoke a stage early based on forecasts.

What Changed in the Latest GRAP Revision?

The November 2025 revision moved several measures down a stage. Curbs previously under Stage IV shifted to Stage III, Stage III measures moved to Stage II, and Stage II measures moved to Stage I. The September 2026 revision included actions regarding diesel generators and inter-city buses moving to Stage I, broader car curbs and a more extensive citizen's charter. This earlier intervention is crucial as it allows restrictions to start before the AQI reaches severe levels.

GRAP Restrictions by Stage

GRAP 1 Restrictions in Delhi NCR (Poor, AQI 201-300)

The GRAP 1 restrictions Delhi NCR agencies are enforcing right now include:

Dust control at construction and demolition sites, with regular monitoring for eligible sites for plot area of 500 sq m or more.
Mechanized road sweeping and water sprinkling
Curbs on diesel generator sets and on entry of BS-IV and older inter-city buses, which is moved down from Stage II in the September 2026 revision.
Traffic management, uninterrupted power supply, expanded public transport and public advisories, which is moved down from Stage II in November 2025.
PUC enforcement and action against visibly polluting vehicles
Ban on open burning of waste and biomass
In Delhi, the state government has additionally announced doubled parking charges except at Metro facilities, no fuel for vehicles without a valid PUCC and staggered hours or work from home for MCD and government offices.
Enforcement is carried out by agencies such as the DPCC, MCD, state pollution control boards and traffic police.

GRAP 2 Restrictions in Delhi NCR (Very Poor, AQI 301-400)

The GRAP 2 restrictions Delhi NCR will see if AQI crosses 300 include:

Staggered timings for public offices and municipal bodies in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar, which is moved down from Stage III in November 2025; other NCR areas are at their state governments’ discretion.
Central Government may decide on staggering timings for central government offices in Delhi-NCR.
Stage II has eight actions in the revised schedule. Several measures that earlier sat in Stage II, such as diesel generator set curbs, older-bus entry curbs and public transport expansion, now start at Stage I.

GRAP 3 Restrictions in Delhi NCR (Severe, AQI 401-450)

GRAP 3 Restrictions on Construction Delhi NCR:

Stage III includes a ban on non-essential construction and demolition activities such as earthwork, piling, trenching and road work.
The September 2026 revision added a minor relaxation to the first Stage III action including pothole repair.
Mining and stone crushing are also restricted with exemptions for essential projects such as railways and metro.

GRAP 3 Vehicle Restrictions Delhi NCR covers:

BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel (and older) four-wheelers are restricted from plying in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar and Sonipat (Sonipat was added in September 2026).
BS-IV and older diesel light and medium goods vehicles registered outside Delhi cannot enter Delhi and the exemption for those carrying essential commodities has been removed.
Workplace and school measures: state governments and the Delhi government may allow offices to run at 50% strength and classes up to Class 5 have shifted to hybrid mode when Stage III was invoked, depending on the order in force.

Curbs on older inter-state buses, which earlier applied at this stage, now begin at Stage I.

GRAP 4 Restrictions in Delhi NCR (Severe+, AQI Above 450)

The GRAP 4 restrictions for Delhi NCR pollution emergencies include:

Entry curbs on trucks, with the essential-commodities exemption removed for BS-IV and older heavy goods vehicles
A wider construction ban including public projects
School and workplace measures, such as hybrid classes as notified in the order in force

Are There GRAP 5 Restrictions in Delhi NCR? No. GRAP has four stages, and Stage IV (Severe+) is the highest.

GRAP 1 Restrictions Till Which Date in Delhi NCR?

The GRAP 1 restrictions Delhi NCR is under today have no fixed end date. Stage I was invoked on October 21, 2026 and stays in force until the CAQM’s GRAP Sub-Committee revokes it, depending on AQI trends and weather forecasts. Typically the stage is stepped down, with lower stages staying in force: when CAQM revoked Stage III on January 22, 2026, Stages II and I remained invoked. The same applies if you are wondering about GRAP 4 restrictions till which date in Delhi NCR: there is no fixed end date, and Stage IV stays until CAQM revokes it.

GRAP Restrictions in Delhi NCR Today (Live Status)

Current stage, date and time invoked, AQI reading and next review or expected change.

Date	Average Deli AQI	GRAP Stage (in force)	Action by CAQM
October 21, 2026	244-245	Stage I	Invoked all 25 action points of Stage I across Delhi-NCR with immediate effect, directed strict dust control, mechanized road sweeping, water sprinkling and targeted restrictions.

Who Is Affected? Citizens, Drivers, Builders and Schools

Citizens, drivers, builders and schools are all affected by GRAP restrictions.

Car owners should check their vehicle’s BS norm (on the RC and fuel type), since BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers face curbs at Stage III.
Bus users may see older BS-IV and below inter-city buses restricted from Stage I.
Construction sites must follow dust-control rules from Stage I and non-essential construction stops at Stage III.
Offices may stagger timings from Stage II and may be asked to run at 50% strength at Stage III.
The updated Citizens’ Charter asks residents to avoid open burning, use public transport or carpool and report visible pollution violations.

CAQM directs agencies including state pollution control boards and local bodies, to implement and monitor the actions at each stage. Fine amounts are set by the respective state or CAQM notifications, so check the notification before relying on a figure.

The revised Citizens’ Charter includes 34 actions, up from 22. The main do’s and don’ts include:

Residents: Reduce individual vehicle use, adhere to dust control measures.
RWAs: Implement community-wide compliance and awareness efforts.
Offices: Encourage work-from-home policies and staggered hours.

Final Thoughts

In summary, the GRAP consists of four stages, each imposing key vehicle and construction curbs to mitigate air pollution. Stage I is currently in force, and residents should stay informed about the current status to comply with the GRAP restrictions Delhi NCR follows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about this topic

What are GRAP restrictions in Delhi NCR?

GRAP restrictions are emergency measures implemented to control air pollution based on air quality levels.

What are GRAP 1 restrictions? What are GRAP 2 restrictions?

GRAP 1 restrictions involve measures for poor air quality, while GRAP 2 restrictions apply to very poor air quality, including stricter vehicle controls.

What are GRAP 3 restrictions on construction and vehicles?

GRAP 3 includes bans on non-essential construction and specific vehicle restrictions based on emissions standards.

Is there a GRAP 5?

No, there are only four stages in the GRAP framework.

Which vehicles are banned under GRAP 3?

BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles are banned under GRAP 3 restrictions.

What AQI triggers each GRAP stage?

Each stage is triggered by specific AQI ranges, from poor to severe+.