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Delhi: air pollution and restrictions

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This dossier follows air pollution in the Delhi region and measures to reduce emissions, distinguishing measured indices from observed effects of restrictions.

Latest event : 1 key moments

Where things stand

The Commission for Air Quality Management activated Stage III of the GRAP response plan across Delhi-NCR on 6 November 2026. The decision tightens restrictions as air quality deteriorates ahead of Diwali.

Delhi-NCR activates Stage III pollution restrictions

The Commission for Air Quality Management activated Stage III of the GRAP response plan across Delhi-NCR on 6 November 2026. The decision tightens restrictions as air quality deteriorates ahead of Diwali.

Night-time smog in Delhi.
Delhi, 11 November 2016. Archive image; not the 2026 episode. AnkClix, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ; unmodified. — AnkClix / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ; 11 November 2016; unmodified.

The Indian Express reports a 24-hour average air quality index of 382, in the “very poor” category and close to the threshold of 400 for “severe” air quality. That regional measure should be distinguished from individual monitoring stations’ readings.

The response includes restrictions on construction and certain vehicles, as well as hybrid schooling arrangements through Class 5. It aims to curb emissions across the capital region; activating it does not yet demonstrate an improvement in air quality.

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