Delhi's AQI is in the "Poor" band (201–300), and GRAP Stage 1 has been in force across Delhi-NCR since October 21, 2026. CPCB's 24-hour average reached 245 that day, up from 179 a day earlier. On the morning of October 22 it was around 226–228, but hotspots such as Jahangirpuri (309) and Chandni Chowk (307) had already reached "Very Poor". Stage 1 does not shut anything down. Schools, offices and private cars carry on as normal. It does ban coal tandoors, restrict diesel generators and keep older interstate buses out of the city.
Below you'll find the full Stage 1 list, the AQI levels that set off Stages 2, 3 and 4, the separate Delhi government rules that start on November 1, and some practical advice on masks and air purifiers for the Diwali stretch.
AQI Delhi today: the numbers behind the alert
October 21 was the first "Poor" air day of the season. According to Outlook, it was also Delhi's worst day-after-Dussehra AQI in five years (the 2021 figure was 284), and the highest reading since July 24, 2026. That July spike, to 246, came from dust blown in from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. You may have seen 244 quoted elsewhere. That was the 2 pm figure. The official 4 pm 24-hour average was 245.
Worst-hit areas on October 21
- Pusa: 329
- Chandni Chowk: 326
- Jahangirpuri: 313
- Punjabi Bagh: 312
- Patparganj: 304
- Mandir Marg: 303
- Vivek Vihar: 302
The air got worse again on October 22. One government dashboard showed 299 at 10:31 am, just one point short of "Very Poor" for the city as a whole.
Why the air turned bad this week
- Dussehra smoke: burning effigies and firecrackers added a sudden pulse of particulate matter.
- Weather: Mahesh Palawat of Skymet says cooler nights and light winds are keeping pollution close to the ground.
- Local sources: road dust, construction, vehicle exhaust and waste burning.
- Stubble burning: so far a small share. It made up 3.9% of PM2.5 on October 21. The Decision Support System forecast 7.4% for Thursday, 15.9% for Friday and 4.1% for Saturday.
IMD and IITM expect the AQI to stay "Poor" for the next few days. As of October 22 there was no sign that Stage 2 had been invoked.
What is GRAP 1? The full list of Stage 1 restrictions
The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) emergency rulebook for Delhi-NCR. Each stage is tied to an AQI band. Stage 1 applies in Delhi and in the NCR districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Under GRAP 1:
- No coal or firewood in tandoors at hotels, restaurants and open eateries.
- Diesel generators are restricted.
- Older intercity and interstate buses are kept out. Only BS-VI, CNG and electric buses may enter Delhi. This covers buses from Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and J&K.
- Construction sites must control dust. Roads get mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling. Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa says sweepers have covered every road since October 21.
- Open burning of waste is banned.
- More metro services: Delhi Metro is running 20 extra weekday trips from October 22.
- Traffic advice: Delhi Traffic Police are asking commuters to use public transport or carpool, and to carry a valid PUC certificate.
Why Stage 1 is stricter than last year
CAQM revised GRAP on September 28, 2026, at its 30th Full Commission meeting. The curbs on diesel generators and on BS-IV-and-older buses used to sit in Stage 2. They have now moved down to Stage 1, so they apply much earlier in the season. The revised plan has 25 actions in Stage 1, 8 in Stage 2 and 10 in Stage 3. Sources disagree on whether Stage 4 has 4 or 5. The citizen charter, which lists what residents are asked to do, has grown from 22 points to 34.
Does GRAP 1 affect me?
| If you… | What Stage 1 means |
|---|---|
| Drive a private car in Delhi | No new driving curbs, but carry a valid PUC certificate |
| Have school-going kids | Schools stay open as usual |
| Work in an office | No GRAP-mandated work from home at this stage |
| Travel by interstate bus | Only BS-VI, CNG or electric buses can enter Delhi |
| Run a restaurant or dhaba | No coal or firewood tandoors; diesel generators restricted |
| Are building or renovating | Dust-control measures are mandatory |
When does GRAP 2 kick in? Triggers for every stage
| GRAP stage | AQI band | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Stage I | 201–300 | Poor |
| Stage II | 301–400 | Very Poor |
| Stage III | 401–450 | Severe |
| Stage IV | Above 450 | Severe+ |
Stage 2 applies when Delhi's average AQI goes past 300. CAQM usually acts on forecasts as well as current readings, so a stage can be announced a little before the city average actually crosses into the next band. Because some hotspots are already above 300 and Diwali is coming, Stage 2 could follow soon. The stages add up: each new stage keeps every measure from the ones before it.
Stage 3 (AQI above 400) is when ordinary households start to feel the restrictions. It bans BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars, and from this year that ban covers Sonipat as well as the usual NCR districts. Under the revised plan, BS-IV goods vehicles carrying essential items are no longer exempt in Stages 3 and 4. In past seasons, Stage 3 also brought curbs on non-essential construction and hybrid classes for younger students. If the AQI gets that high, check the actual CAQM order to see what applies.
Stage 4 (AQI above 450) is the emergency level, with the widest curbs on trucks, construction, offices and schools.
Separate from GRAP: Delhi rules that start November 1
On September 28, 2026, the Delhi government also announced its own winter plan. These measures run on fixed dates, whatever the AQI reading:
- Entry curbs on older outside vehicles: from November 1, vehicles registered outside Delhi that are below BS-VI cannot enter the city. If you commute from Noida, Gurugram or Ghaziabad in a BS-IV vehicle, read the final notification to see which vehicle categories it covers.
- Parking charges double from November 1 to February 28. EVs and DMRC parking are exempt. If you've been thinking about switching, see our guide to the Delhi EV subsidy for electric scooters.
- Staggered office hours from November 1 to February 28: MCD offices 8:30 am–5 pm, Delhi government offices 10 am–6:30 pm.
- 50% work from home for offices, as announced.
- Construction bans: as reported, outdoor and dust-generating work stops from November 1 to December 10, and then all construction and demolition, including indoor work, stops from December 10 to January 20. ETV Bharat has reported different dates, so check the official order before you plan renovation work.
- "No PUC, No Fuel": 500 petrol pumps will use ANPR cameras to enforce it. The rule began on December 18, 2025 and is reported to apply all year now.
Delhi is also deploying 608 anti-smog guns and 1,150 mist-spray units, and MCD is adding 167 water sprinklers and 40 mobile anti-smog guns.
Why aqi.in and IQAir show different numbers from CPCB
This confuses a lot of people. CPCB, the official source that GRAP decisions are based on, uses India's National AQI (NAQI) scale and a 24-hour average. aqi.in, IQAir and many phone weather widgets use the US AQI scale, often with near-real-time hourly data. The two scales link pollutant levels to index numbers in different ways, so the same air can give quite different figures. One example: IQAir's widely reported reading of 442 on Diwali 2025 was a US-scale number, not a CPCB one.
To work out whether GRAP will be tightened, follow the CPCB 24-hour average. For deciding whether to go out for a run right now, a live hourly reading from a nearby station is more useful.
How bad could it get by Diwali on November 8?
Diwali falls on November 8, 2026. That is later in the season than in 2025, at a point when nights are cooler, winds are lighter and stubble burning usually peaks. Delhi has already reached "Poor" two and a half weeks before the festival, so the coming days look difficult. Firecrackers on the night will add to that. Forecasters have not issued a Diwali-specific AQI outlook yet, but plan for Stage 2 or worse around the festival.
Protecting yourself: masks, purifiers and daily habits
The advice below is general. If you or someone at home has asthma, COPD or a heart condition, ask your doctor what's right for you.
Masks
- Wear an N95 or FFP2 mask outdoors. Cloth and surgical masks do very little against PM2.5.
- Fit matters more than brand. Press the nose clip down and make sure there are no gaps at the cheeks. If your glasses fog up, air is leaking.
- Replace the mask when it gets dirty, damp or hard to breathe through.
Air purifiers
- Pick a purifier with a true HEPA filter, and match its CADR (clean air delivery rate) to the size of the room. A small unit in a big living room won't make much difference.
- Keep it running in the bedroom with the door closed, because that's where you spend the most hours in one stretch.
- Budget for replacement filters. In Delhi winters they clog faster than the box suggests. Our Qubo 1000 air purifier review covers room size and filter cost if you want a worked example.
- If you only need one for the winter months, renting an air purifier can cost less than buying.
Daily habits
- Move outdoor exercise indoors, or keep it short. Early mornings and late evenings are often the worst times, because cold air holds pollution near the ground.
- Keep windows shut while outdoor readings are high, and air the house when the AQI dips, usually in the afternoon.
- Take extra care with children, older people and anyone with asthma. They feel the effects first.
- Take the metro when you can. With the extra trips this is easier, and you can check our Delhi Metro service updates before you set out.
Key dates to keep in mind
- October 21: GRAP Stage 1 invoked; AQI 245.
- October 22: Delhi Metro adds 20 weekday trips.
- November 1: Delhi winter plan begins: entry curbs on non-BS-VI outside vehicles, double parking charges, staggered office hours, construction curbs.
- November 8: Diwali.
- December 10: full construction and demolition ban begins, as reported (check the official notification).
- February 28: parking surcharge and staggered office hours end.
We'll update this page if CAQM moves Delhi to GRAP Stage 2. For more updates on civic rules, festivals and money, visit the KyunTrend homepage.