Government Lifts Stage IV Restrictions Across Delhi-NCR As Air Quality Improves

New Delhi: The Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on Tuesday revoked all Stage IV actions across Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) with immediate effect following improvement in air quality and forecast trends.

The Sub-Committee had invoked Stage IV of GRAP on January 17, 2026, following a sharp rise in Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI). Subsequently, Delhi’s air quality showed steady improvement. According to the daily AQI bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the average AQI improved from 440 on January 18 to 410 and 378 on Tuesday.

In view of this improving trend and based on air quality and meteorological forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the CAQM Sub-Committee met today to review the situation, as per the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Sub-Committee noted that favourable meteorological conditions, including increased wind speed, have led to an improvement in Delhi’s AQI, which is currently in the ‘Very Poor’ category. Forecasts indicate that AQI is likely to remain in this range in the coming days.

Considering the improvement in air quality, forecast trends and the disruptive nature of Stage IV restrictions impacting a large number of stakeholders and the public, the Sub-Committee unanimously decided to revoke all actions under Stage IV of the extant GRAP across the entire NCR with immediate effect, it said.

"All actions under GRAP Stages I, II, and III shall, however, remain in force and be reviewed by all agencies concerned in NCR to ensure that the AQI levels do not rise further in the coming days. All concerned agencies are directed to strictly implement and intensify measures under these stages to prevent any further deterioration in air quality and to avoid the need for re-imposition of Stage IV," it said.

Construction and demolition project sites which have been issued specific closure orders on account of violations/ non-compliances of various Statutory Directions, rules, guidelines shall under no circumstances resume their operations without any specific order to this effect from the Commission, it said.

The CAQM has called upon people to strictly follow the citizen charter under GRAP Stages I, II and III, particularly during the winter season when meteorological conditions may not be always be favourable.

The Sub-Committee will continue to closely monitor the air quality situation and review it periodically for further appropriate decisions depending upon the air quality in Delhi and forecast for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/ IITM, it said.

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