New Delhi: The Delhi government has announced a ban on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers starting Friday as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-III) to address the worsening air pollution in the city. Violators will face a fine of ₹20,000 and may be prosecuted under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

The directive also prohibits the operation of Delhi-registered diesel-powered Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) meeting BS-III standards or below, with exceptions for those transporting essential goods or providing critical services. Additionally, inter-state buses from NCR states—excluding EVs, CNG, or BS-VI diesel vehicles—are barred from entering the city, unless they hold an All India Tourist permit.

This decision follows the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)'s mandate to activate GRAP-III measures in Delhi-NCR from Friday at 8 a.m., aimed at improving air quality, which has deteriorated to the 'severe' category. Key actions under GRAP-III include increased mechanized road sweeping, daily water sprinkling with dust suppressants, and proper disposal of collected dust in designated sites.

Construction activities, including demolition, earth excavation, boring, and drilling, as well as the transportation of demolition waste, have also been halted to curb pollution levels.

The GRAP system categorizes air quality into four levels: 'poor' (AQI 201-300), 'very poor' (AQI 301-400), 'severe' (AQI 401-450), and 'severe plus' (AQI above 450). This year, air quality in Delhi reached the 'severe' category later than in 2023, when it was recorded on November 2.

The government has also introduced an 11-point action plan, which includes increasing the frequency of road cleaning, water sprinkling in high-traffic zones, and promoting public transportation to further support ongoing efforts for cleaner air in the city.