Overview
- Delhi's AQI fell from 380 on Thursday to 236 by 4 pm Friday, prompting the CAQM Sub-Committee to revoke Stage III restrictions with immediate effect across the NCR.
- The rollback allows non-essential construction and demolition, operations of stone crushers, brick kilns and mining, and restores road access for BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers and other vehicles previously barred.
- Measures under GRAP Stages I and II continue, including stricter dust control, checks on polluting vehicles, restrictions on diesel generators, bans on open burning, and close monitoring of industries and brick kilns.
- Officials and meteorologists attribute the short-term improvement to rain and strong winds, while IMD/IITM projections indicate air quality is likely to stay in the poor to very poor range and could deteriorate again within days.
- Dense fog and low visibility disrupted operations at Delhi airport on Friday, with about 66 flights cancelled and many more delayed.