Northern India encountered the recurring annual pre-winter event of air emergency where the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings of main pollutant PM 2.5 breached the 400-mark of “very poor” and landed the air of Delhi, Punjab and other northern cities into the “hazardous” category.

The GRAP 3 curbs in Delhi include ban on demolition and construction activities, and entry of certain vehicles inside Delhi-NCR, among other curbs, to prevent further deterioration of air quality.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) made the decision to elevate the response to GRAP Stage 3 due to Delhi's AQI consistently surpassing 400, accompanied by heavy smog that has reduced visibility to nearly zero.

Delhi's air quality dipped to 'severe' with an AQI of 428, prompting the government to enforce stricter pollution control measures under GRAP Stage 2.

Ashutosh Mishra covers the severe air quality crisis in Delhi and NCR, impacting respiratory health and visibility. Cities like Noida and Gurugram are also affected by toxic air blamed on stubble burning and other issues.