GRAP 3 vehicle rules in Delhi: With AQI turning severe on Diwali, here is what is allowed and what is banned on roads

GRAP, or the Graded Response Action Plan, is a framework of escalating measures for worsening air pollution. Stage III represents stringent restrictions intended to reduce emissions when Delhi and the NCR face a serious pollution burden. The Commission for Air Quality Management activated it as a precaution around Diwali.

The measures focus on transport, work patterns and traffic management. BS-VI, CNG and electric vehicles can operate under prescribed rules. Emergency vehicles remain exempt. Certain older petrol and diesel light motor vehicles are restricted, while offices must limit physical attendance to 50 per cent from November 1 to January 31.

The restrictions cover Delhi and high-vehicle-density districts in the NCR. Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices operate from 8:30 am to 5 pm, while Delhi government offices run from 10 am to 6:30 pm. The air was forecast to remain severe on November 8 and 9, so the measures are meant to reduce added pollution during the festive period.

The rules prioritize vehicles that meet newer emission standards or use cleaner energy. BS-VI vehicles, CNG vehicles and electric vehicles are allowed to operate under prescribed rules. Ambulances, fire tenders and police vehicles are also exempt because they provide essential emergency services.

Restrictions target BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles, including four-wheelers. They apply in Delhi and the specified high-vehicle-density NCR districts. Vehicles below these standards may also face restrictions. A special exemption permits a person with a disability to use a BS-III petrol or BS-IV diesel light motor vehicle if it has been specifically adapted and is used only for personal purposes.

Vehicles registered outside Delhi that meet BS-IV or older standards are prohibited from operating in Delhi from November 1 to January 31, 2027. The rules therefore distinguish between cleaner vehicles, older private vehicles, emergency services and approved disability-related use during the pollution episode.

The rules apply across Delhi and selected parts of the National Capital Region. Their geographic scope is based on vehicle density, so the restrictions are not limited to Delhi's municipal boundaries. This matters because pollution and traffic move across the wider urban region.

Besides Delhi, the named districts are Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar. The rules cover light motor vehicles in these specified high-vehicle-density districts. Trucks not destined for Delhi must use peripheral expressways, while some older diesel goods vehicles registered outside Delhi cannot enter the capital.

The article does not provide a total land area or population covered. It does identify a connected regional network of roads and borders where enforcement is active. Because the measures run from November 1 to January 31, 2027 for certain outside-Delhi vehicles, their effects extend beyond a single Diwali day.

Stage III was imposed as a precaution when Delhi's AQI breached the 380 mark on Friday. The aim was to reduce the pollution burden before expected Diwali emissions arrived. The city was already covered in smog, and visibility had fallen on the eve of Diwali.

The expected sources were multiple. Diwali celebrations were likely to add emissions, while vehicles would continue contributing pollution. The article also identifies peak stubble-burning activity as an important regional source. Together, these pressures threatened to worsen an already very poor AQI of 369 recorded on the eve of Diwali.

The Air Quality Early Warning System forecast severe air on November 8 and 9. It also projected a fluctuation between severe and very poor conditions during the following six days. Early restrictions therefore sought to limit traffic and other emissions before the forecast deterioration became more intense.

When pollution becomes severe, GRAP Stage III changes daily movement and work arrangements. Vehicle restrictions reduce the number of older, higher-emitting vehicles on roads. The rules also redirect trucks not destined for Delhi to peripheral expressways and restrict some older diesel goods vehicles from entering the capital.

Workplaces must limit physical attendance to 50 per cent from November 1 to January 31, with remaining employees working from home. Essential and emergency services are exempt under prescribed norms. Office timings are staggered: Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices run from 8:30 am to 5 pm, while Delhi government offices operate from 10 am to 6:30 pm.

These measures are intended to reduce traffic, congestion and pollution exposure while air quality is very poor or severe. The article reports smog and reduced visibility, and forecasts severe conditions on November 8 and 9. Continued restrictions may therefore affect commuting and routines until pollution eases.

Stubble burning, firecrackers and vehicles add different emissions to the same regional air basin. The article identifies peak stubble-burning activity, Diwali or festive emissions and vehicular emissions as major pressures. Their combined effect matters because pollution from Delhi and surrounding areas can accumulate rather than remain isolated.

Weather also controls how quickly pollutants disperse. When winds are weak or the atmosphere is stable, smoke and vehicle pollution can remain close to the ground. This produces the thick smog described in Delhi and can reduce visibility. Firecrackers add a short, intense burst during celebrations, while stubble burning and traffic can continue contributing over a longer period.

The article reports an AQI of 369 on the eve of Diwali and a forecast of severe air on November 8 and 9. Stage III responds to this overlap by restricting older vehicles, managing trucks and reducing office travel during the expected pollution peak.

Bharat Stage standards are national rules that limit pollutants from vehicle engines and exhaust systems. Higher stages represent newer requirements. The article uses BS-III, BS-IV and BS-VI to classify vehicles during GRAP Stage III, allowing BS-VI vehicles while restricting several older categories.

Compared with older vehicles, BS-VI vehicles are designed to emit less particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. They use cleaner fuel specifications and more advanced exhaust-treatment systems. This is why the rules treat BS-VI vehicles as permitted while targeting BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles. CNG and electric vehicles are also allowed under the stated rules.

The article does not provide exact emissions limits or technical test results. It does show the practical effect of the standards: older vehicles face restrictions during severe pollution, while newer or cleaner vehicles retain access. Emergency vehicles and specially adapted disability vehicles receive specified exemptions.