Delhi NCR Air Quality Hits Stage 4 Alert Level Stubble Burning Triggers Severe Pollution In Delhi

The air quality across the Delhi- National Capital Region( NCR) has reached alarmingly high  situations, forcing authorities to  bring Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan( GRAP), reserved for the worst pollution  occurrences.

On the morning of 18 November 2025, Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index( AQI) of 344, placing the  megacity in the “  veritably poor ”  order, with four monitoring stations registering “ severe ” readings. In response to this deterioration, GRAP Stage 4 restrictions came into effect at 8 a.m. across the region.

Under Stage 4, the rules strain significantly. Heavy vehicle entry from other  countries into Delhi has been banned, except for  exchanges carrying essential goods or those  formerly running on cleaner energies  similar as CNG, electric or BS- VI diesel. Construction conditioning are suspended. seminaries( other than for classes 10 and 12) are  needed to shift to a  mongrel mode.

The pattern of pollutant  figure- up is characteristic of the season downtime meteorological conditions combine with high indigenous emigrations, and one major contributor remains the burning of crop residue in  conterminous  countries like Punjab and Haryana. The Supreme Court of India has taken note of this and directed both state governments to abide  rigorously by the recommendations of the Commission for Air Quality Management( CAQM) to  check the stubble- burning practice.

The GRAP sets out four stages of  raising response Stage I( AQI 201- 300), Stage II( 301- 400), Stage III( 401- 450) and Stage IV( AQI above 450). The current  incantation reflects a serious concern that air quality could slip further into the “ severe plus ” range. Although the cited composition mentions the AQI of 344( which itself falls short of> 450), the  cast and meteorological outlook  putatively  urged authorities to takepre-emptive action under Stage 4.

The intention behind these measures is to  deaden the worst health impacts of  gauze and high  situations of particulate matter. Sensitive populations — children, the  senior and those with respiratory or cardiovascular  ails are specifically advised to stay outdoors as  important as possible.

The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights how stubble burning remains a stubborn challenge. It observed that if the CAQM’s recommendations were  enforced by Punjab and Haryana, the practice of burning could be “ adequately  dived  ”. That said, themulti-state, seasonal nature of the problem means  results are complex and long- term, involving  impulses for alternate crop residue disposal, mechanised  outfit for  growers, and tighter enforcement.

For the present, the combination of high pollution, restrictive measures and weak winds or inversion layers means a  delicate time for the capital region. residers are likely to  witness hazy skies, reduced visibility and lesser health  threat until conditions ameliorate.

In summary the Delhi- NCR region has entered its most severe air- quality  governance for the season. Stage 4 of the GRAP is now in force. Heavy  exchanges are barred( with exceptions), construction is broke,  seminaries are shifted to  mongrel mode( except for  crucial  elderly- classes), and the courts are  obliging  girding  countries to  consolidate  sweats against stubble burning. The coming days will be critical — both for rainfall- driven relief and for  perpetration of controls.