Delhi enforces GRAP-4: Who must follow and who is exempt | Fusion - WeRIndia

Delhi has enforced its strictest anti-pollution measures as winter smog continues to choke the city and NCR.

The Commission for Air Quality Management has activated Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP-4, to immediately control pollution sources and protect public health.

Despite the tough restrictions, essential and emergency services will continue without interruption.

The Delhi government has clarified that ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles, and other emergency response units running on petrol or CNG are fully exempt.

Frontline workers, including hospital staff, air-pollution control teams, fire department personnel, and essential service workers, are also exempt from work-from-home rules and can continue normal duties.

Private offices across Delhi must now operate with only 50% staff present at the workplace, while the remaining employees must work from home.

However, this rule does not apply to offices linked to hospitals, transport services, sanitation, and emergency operations, which are allowed to function normally to maintain critical services.

Vehicle movement has come under stricter monitoring. Only BS-VI compliant vehicles from outside Delhi are permitted to enter the city from December 18.

In addition, petrol pumps will deny fuel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control certificate. Authorities will use automatic number plate recognition cameras and physical inspections to enforce compliance.

Schools have also been impacted by the GRAP-4 curbs. Classes for students from nursery to Class 5 will remain fully online, with no offline option available.

Meanwhile, students from Classes 6 to 9 and Class 11 can attend classes through a hybrid system, allowing online participation.

All construction and demolition activities across Delhi have been completely halted.

This includes major public infrastructure projects such as highways, flyovers, pipelines, and power lines, which were earlier allowed under lower GRAP stages.

Food outlets must now stop using coal or firewood-based tandoors.

Only electric or gas-based tandoors are permitted, and authorities have ordered strict enforcement with no exceptions.

GRAP-4 represents Delhi’s most aggressive response yet to rising winter air pollution.

Image Credit: Nikrathour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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