Delhi Pollution: Centre bans non-essential construction work, plying of BS-III petrol & BS-IV diesel 4-wheelers

The Centrral government on Friday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR amid worsening air quality in the region.

Unfavourable meteorological conditions including fog and haze with low wind speed are the major causes for a sudden spike in Delhi's daily average AQI, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, said in an order.

Delhi's overall AQI is steadily rising since this morning. It stood at 397 at 10 am and 409 at 4 pm.


Re-invoking curbs under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the CAQM ordered a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR.

Construction activities associated with national security, defense, projects of national significance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation, and water supply remain unaffected by the prohibition.

In addition, during Stage-III, limitations are placed on the usage of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.

(With PTI inputs)