Noida: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to fight against worsening air quality across the Delhi-NCR region, leading the Noida Authority to impose stringent restrictions on construction work and vehicular movement.
According to an official statement issued this week, all the construction activities in Noida, except those related to metro rail, hospitals and flyovers, have been suspended with immediate effect. The decision follows a sharp rise in pollution levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) continuing to remain in the “severe” category across multiple monitoring stations.
According to reports, on 12 November, the AQI was recorded at 407 in Sector 1, 425 in Sector 125, 388 in Sector 62 and 415 in Sector 116. It was stated that the major pollutants contributing to the toxic air include PM 2.5 and PM 10.
As part of the curbs, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers have been banned from operating within the city limits. Additionally, all ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants, stone crushers and demolition works have been ordered to shut down until further notice.
The Noida Authority has urged residents, institutions and agencies to strictly adhere to the directives issued under GRAP State-III, warning that violations will attract legal action and penalties.
GRAP is a graded action framework implemented by the CAQM to tackle rising pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. It is enforced in four stages, Stage I (Poor), Stage II (Very Poor), Stage III (Severe), and Stage IV (Severe+), based on the AQI.
The Stage-III measures are part of winter-specific strategies to reduce emissions and limit the health impact of deteriorating air quality.
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