In a strong response to the worsening air quality crisis, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has intervened, demanding immediate and effective steps from the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. These actions come as Delhi-NCR implements stringent anti-pollution measures typically reserved for the highest alert level, attempting to improve the air quality index (AQI).
The current situation sees Delhi’s AQI hovering around the 350 mark. To manage this pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), citing a November 19th Supreme Court order, has activated the Graded Action Plan (GRAP). GRAP is an emergency response system designed to address high levels of air pollution.
Crucially, measures designated for Stage Four—when AQI reaches 450 to 500—are being proactively applied during the current Stage Three level.
New Rules Target Reduced Commute
The primary measure enacted is a significant reduction in employee presence across the city. Both government and private offices have been advised to operate with 50% staff attendance, allowing the remaining 50% to work from home. The overall purpose is to reduce the number of people traveling outside their homes. Additionally, offices are being instructed to implement different work shifts and variable working hours to further decrease traffic and curb emissions.
Enforcement agencies, including the police, have been fully deployed and instructed to take a strict stance against incidents causing emissions, such as fire or other sources, in order to rapidly reduce pollution.
Stage 3 GRAP measures are already active in Delhi, prohibiting demolition, earthwork, trenching, and transportation of construction materials. Across Delhi and NCR districts—including Gurugram, Faridabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar—BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are banned from roads.
Inter-state buses using non-electric, non-CNG, and non-BS-VI diesel fuel are barred from entering Delhi. Non-Delhi-registered light commercial vehicles (LCVs) are also restricted.
Vehicular Emissions at the Core of the Crisis
The drastic measures are directly linked to the overwhelming contribution of vehicles to the region’s poor air quality. According to a 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, vehicular emission accounts for roughly 51.1% of the pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.
The scale of vehicle usage is immense: the Delhi-NCR region hosts approximately 2.97 crore (nearly 3 crore) vehicles in total. Despite Delhi’s geographical area being only 2.7% of the NCR region, 50% of the NCR’s vehicles commute to and operate within Delhi.
Adding to the complexity, roughly 37% of vehicles in Delhi-NCR are still non-compliant with set emission standards. These vehicles are below the established BS3 stage.
PMO Pushes Electric Vehicle Acceleration
In response to the mounting crisis, a high-level PMO meeting was held, attended by Chief Ministers and officials from several states, to discuss reducing vehicular emissions.
A key topic was the need to accelerate the rollout of Electric Vehicle (EV) policy. Statistics presented at the meeting revealed the slow adoption of green vehicles: this year, only 17,942 EVs or hybrid vehicles were registered in the region. This number stands in stark contrast to the approximately 12,27,000 new petrol and diesel vehicles registered during the same period.
To address this disparity, states have been instructed to revise both their EV policies and corresponding subsidies to encourage higher registration of electric vehicles. The PMO has specifically called for the promotion of electric vehicles and the implementation of strict rules for cars.
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