Quick answer: GRAP Stage 1 is the first tier of the Graded Response Action Plan, Delhi-NCR’s emergency anti-pollution playbook, triggered when Delhi’s AQI is “Poor” (201–300). The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage 1 across the NCR on 21 October 2026 when the AQI hit 244, and escalated to Stage 2 on 2 November 2026 after the AQI reached 324.
Why GRAP Stage 1 is in the news
On 20 October 2026 Delhi’s AQI was 179, in the “Moderate” band. By 2 pm the next day it had jumped to 244, which falls in the “Poor” band. The CAQM’s Sub-Committee on GRAP then invoked all Stage 1 actions across the entire National Capital Region with immediate effect, Akashvani News reported. IMD and IITM forecasts expected the AQI to stay “Poor”.
It did not hold there. On 2 November 2026, with Delhi’s AQI at 324 (“Very Poor”), the sub-committee added Stage 2 measures on top of Stage 1. Delhi Metro responded by adding 20 extra train trips on weekdays, taking the total additional trips to 40.
The four stages of GRAP
| GRAP stage | Air quality category | Delhi AQI range | Actions in revised schedule (Sept 2026) | Examples of measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage I | Poor | 201–300 | 25 | Mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling of roads; no coal or firewood in tandoors of hotels, restaurants and open eateries; diesel generator sets only for emergency or essential use |
| Stage II | Very Poor | 301–400 | 8 | Higher parking fees to discourage private cars; staggered timings for public offices; electric heaters for guards and sanitation staff so they do not burn waste |
| Stage III | Severe | 401–450 | 10 | Strict curbs on dust-raising construction and demolition; entry curbs on BS-IV and older diesel light and medium goods vehicles registered outside Delhi |
| Stage IV | Severe+ | Above 450 | 5 | No entry for BS-IV trucks into Delhi (essential goods exempt); construction ban extended to linear public projects (January 2026 order) |
Each higher stage is applied in addition to the lower ones, so Stage 1 actions continue under Stage 2.
Key facts about GRAP Stage 1
- Trigger: Delhi’s AQI in the 201–300 (“Poor”) range. The CAQM can also act in advance of a stage when forecasts show air quality worsening, as it did with Stage III in January 2026.
- Decision-maker: the CAQM’s Sub-Committee on GRAP, which weighs AQI data and IMD/IITM forecasts.
- Coverage: the entire NCR, not only Delhi; Pollution Control Boards of NCR states and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee enforce it.
- Revised schedule: approved by the CAQM under Chairperson Rajesh Verma on 28 September 2026. It merged repeated dust-control, municipal solid waste and transport measures under Stage I.
- Vehicle curbs widened: BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light-vehicle restrictions now include Sonipat, besides Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.
- Dust monitoring: web-portal checks on eligible construction sites now extend beyond municipal limits; over 1,800 violating units have received closure orders.
Who runs GRAP: the CAQM
The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas was first set up by an ordinance in October 2020 and given a permanent footing by a 2021 law; the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 30 July 2021, according to PRS Legislative Research. The law dissolved the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), which had existed in the NCR since 1998. “Adjoining areas” means parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh next to Delhi and the NCR from where pollution can affect the capital’s air. Its ex-officio technical members come from the CPCB, ISRO and NITI Aayog.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Matching GRAP stages with AQI ranges (201–300, 301–400, 401–450, above 450) is a likely statement-type question.
- Questions on statutory bodies can ask which body replaced the EPCA, or which states form the “adjoining areas” under the CAQM law.
- Geography questions link winter smog to calm winds and Western Disturbances, cited by the CAQM in January 2026.
Practice MCQs
Q1. GRAP Stage I is invoked when Delhi’s AQI is in the range:
(a) 101–200 (b) 201–300 (c) 301–400 (d) 401–450
Answer: (b) — the “Poor” category.
Q2. Which body invokes GRAP stages in Delhi-NCR?
(a) Central Pollution Control Board (b) Delhi Pollution Control Committee (c) Commission for Air Quality Management (d) National Green Tribunal
Answer: (c) — through its Sub-Committee on GRAP.
Q3. The CAQM law of 2021 dissolved which earlier authority?
(a) EPCA (b) NGT (c) CPCB (d) NDMA
Answer: (a) — the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, set up in 1998.
Q4. Under the revised GRAP schedule of September 2026, how many actions are listed under Stage I?
(a) 5 (b) 8 (c) 10 (d) 25
Answer: (d) — 25 actions; Stage II has 8, Stage III 10 and Stage IV 5.
Frequently asked questions
What is GRAP Stage 1?
It is the first set of emergency anti-pollution actions under the Graded Response Action Plan, applied across Delhi-NCR when Delhi’s AQI is in the “Poor” range of 201 to 300.
When was GRAP Stage 1 imposed in 2026?
On 21 October 2026, when Delhi’s AQI climbed to 244 by 2 pm. Stage 2 followed on 2 November 2026 with the AQI at 324.
Does Stage 1 stop when Stage 2 begins?
No. Higher stages are imposed in addition to lower ones, so Stage 1 actions continue while Stage 2 is in force.
What are the AQI limits for the four GRAP stages?
Stage I: 201–300 (Poor); Stage II: 301–400 (Very Poor); Stage III: 401–450 (Severe); Stage IV: above 450 (Severe+).
Also read on NCA: NDMA and the Disaster Management Act | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | Online NDA coaching
Sources: Akashvani News (Stage I, 21 Oct), Akashvani News (Stage I measures), Akashvani News (Stage 2, 2 Nov), Akashvani News (revised GRAP), PIB (Stage I AQI band), PIB (Stage III, Jan 2026), PIB (Stage IV, Jan 2026), PRS Legislative Research. Facts as reported up to 4 November 2026.
Featured image background (representative): Prami.ap90 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
