On January 1st, the Delhi government lifted restrictions on older, polluting vehicles in response to an improvement in air quality and the Central government's withdrawal of stringent anti-pollution measures. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), responsible for addressing air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), revoked Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) after the air quality indices (AQI) fell into the "Severe" category in December.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot announced, "In light of improved air quality, Stage-III GRAP restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are lifted with immediate effect until further orders."
The CAQM based its decision on forecasts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), indicating no anticipated deterioration in air quality. Although the AQI is expected to remain in the "Very Poor"/"Poor" categories, improvement is foreseen in the upcoming days.
While Stage-III restrictions have been lifted, Stage-I and II measures, including stringent dust control and the enforcement of emission norms, persist and will be closely monitored by all NCR agencies.
Emphasizing the necessity for sustained vigilance, the CAQM highlighted the importance of preventing air quality from regressing into the "Severe" category, which could lead to the reinstatement of Stage-III restrictions.