Delhi Pollution Worsens to Very Poor Level Despite GRAP-2 Curbs

Delhi's air quality worsened sharply even under GRAP-2 anti-pollution restrictions, with the Air Quality Index reaching 369 by Tuesday afternoon compared to 350 fourteen hours earlier, according to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Monitoring stations across the city recorded high pollution levels, including Mandir Marg at 508 and Anand Vihar at 297, while the morning temperature stood at 17.2 degrees Celsius.

Official Measures

The Public Works Department formed two committees of eight officials each to inspect 200 truck-mounted anti-smog guns before deployment. These vehicles must pass physical checks and meet tender conditions to operate. Each gun is tasked with deep cleaning 200 metres of road daily across a 1,400-kilometre network while spraying water up to 50 metres high to settle dust.

Restrictions

Nearby Gurugram administration prohibited dust-generating construction and demolition from November 5 to 20 under Commission for Air Quality Management directions, halting highways, flyovers, and pipeline projects while exempting essential services like railways, hospitals, and national security work. Government and private offices in Gurugram must operate with 50 percent staff on-site and the rest working from home, with daily inspections by Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Pollution Control Board officials to enforce the CAQM Act of 2021.

Context

Winter conditions in northern India often trap pollutants close to the surface due to low wind speeds and dropping temperatures. Authorities use phased action plans like the Graded Response Action Plan to roll out emergency curbs when air quality drops into poor categories.