Delhi’s air quality drops to ‘very poor’ for first time this winter, triggers Phase 2 of GRAP

A thick layer of smog envelops the Akshardham temple November 2, 2026 | Photo credit: PTI

With the air quality in the national capital deteriorating to the ‘very poor’ category for the first time this winter season, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjacent Areas (CAQM) on Monday (November 2, 2026) announced Phase 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

According to the central government’s air quality early warning system for Delhi, the air quality is likely to be in the ‘very poor’ category for the next three days. The last time Delhi’s air quality was in the ‘very poor’ category was on February 11 this year.

Phase 2 of the GRAP directs NCR state governments to increase vehicle parking charges to discourage the use of private vehicles. The GNCTD (Government of Delhi) and the NCR state governments also have to “distribute timings for public offices and municipal bodies in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar”.

In view of the vehicle restrictions, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to operate additional routes on weekdays. While DMRC has operated 20 journeys since October 28 when GRAP-1 was introduced, now 20 more journeys will take place. “It is to encourage people to use public transport rather than their private vehicles and help reduce pollution,” said a senior Metro official.

Other directions to state governments include implementing existing measures to control air pollution such as mechanical road sweeping or water sprinkling of roads, among others.

GRAP is a set of short-term emergency measures to reduce air pollution and is divided into four stages. CAQM announces different stages depending on the level of pollution recorded or forecast for the near future.

Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was 324 (very poor) at 4:00 PM on November 2, 2026, up from 261 (poor) a day earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily bulletin, which is considered the daily AQI. A higher AQI means worse air quality.

“Very low” levels of air pollution could lead to “respiratory disease with prolonged exposure,” according to the CPCB. On February 11, 2026, the AQI was 305 (very poor).

Every winter, air pollution rises in Delhi-NCR and many parts of the greater Indo-Gangetic plains, mainly due to meteorological factors such as lower wind speed and drop in temperature. Pollution from stubble burning during October and November and bursting of firecrackers during the festive season also adds to existing vehicular and dust pollution, which worsens air quality.

Published – 02 Nov 2026 19:28 IST