At 5 AM on 5 November, the average Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi had clocked 454, which escalated to 463 at 3 PM due to the continued unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions

Delhi’s average AQI clocked 454 as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on 5 November. The Air Quality Index, made available by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), observed that at 4 PM of 4 November, the average AQI for Delhi was recorded as 415, which started to rise steadily. At 5 AM on 5 November, the average AQI for Delhi had clocked 454, which escalated to 463 at 3 PM due to the continued unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions.

The Sub-Committee for operationalisation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)  has taken the call to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of GRAP – ‘Severe+’ Air Quality (Delhi’s AQI > 450), on 5 November with immediate effect in the entire NCR. This is in addition to the preventive/ restrictive actions mentioned under Stage I, Stage II, and Stage III of GRAP. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP and Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of the National Capital Region (NCR) and Delhi Pollution Contro Committee (DPCC) have also been advised to ensure strict implementation of actions under Stage IV of the revised GRAP in addition to all actions under Stage I, Stage II, and Stage III of GRAP, already in force, during this period.

This 8-point action plan includes steps to be implemented or ensured by different agencies and Pollution Control Boards of NCR and DPCC. These steps include stopping the entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except for trucks carrying essential commodities or providing essential services and all LNG or CNG or electric trucks); no permit for Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) registered outside Delhi, other than EVs or CNG or Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BS-VI) diesel, to enter Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services; a ban on plying of Delhi – registered diesel operated Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services; a ban construction and demolition activities also in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines etc.; NCR State Governments or Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) may take a decision on discontinuing physical classes even for Classes VI–IX and Class XI and conduct lessons in an online mode; the NCR State Governments or GNCTD to decide on allowing public, municipal, and private offices to work on 50 per cent strength and the rest to work from home; the Central Government may take appropriate decision on permitting work from home for employees in Central Government offices; and State Governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of colleges/ educational institutions and closure of non-emergency commercial activities, permitting running of vehicles on odd-even basis of registration numbers etc.

Further, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) appeals to the citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementing GRAP.