Delhi’s government has taken a strict step to combat rising air pollution in the city. According to a new notification from the Environment Department, parking fees across the city will double whenever the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) reaches Phase III (Severe) or Phase IV (Very Severe). The move is part of the city’s efforts to discourage vehicle use during days of high pollution. By increasing parking charges, authorities aim to reduce traffic congestion and limit vehicular emissions, which are major contributors to Delhi’s worsening air quality.
GRAP 4 restrictions revoked in Delhi-NCR
This comes a day after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday announced that GRAP-4 restrictions have been withdrawn in Delhi-NCR after a slight improvement in air quality. Authorities said the decision was taken as pollution levels showed a downward trend compared to the past few days.
Despite the rollback, air pollution remains a major issue. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 378 on Tuesday, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category. This is lower than Monday’s AQI of 410 and Sunday’s reading of 440, both of which were in the ‘severe’ range.
Why GRAP-4 was imposed?
GRAP-4 restrictions were reimposed on January 17 after air quality in the National Capital Region slipped back into the ‘severe’ category. The CAQM had earlier said pollution levels crossed the 400 mark due to unfavourable weather conditions and the impact of a western disturbance, which reduced the dispersal of pollutants.
Just a day before lifting GRAP-4, authorities had enforced GRAP-3 restrictions in the capital. According to CAQM, Delhi’s AQI showed a sharp rise on Saturday evening, climbing from 400 at 4 pm to 428 by 8 pm. This sudden increase was linked to poor weather conditions and stagnant air.
