Delhi NCR air pollution: live tracker

GRAP status

No GRAP stage had been announced for winter 2026 as of 17 October, as far as we could find in CAQM's public announcements and news reports. Delhi's daily average AQI in CPCB's 4 pm bulletin was 90 (Satisfactory) on 16 October (CPCB), well below the Stage I threshold of 201. IITM's Early Warning System forecasts Poor air from 19 October (IITM EWS), which could bring Stage I.

GRAP stages follow the daily average, not the hourly readings above, which can run far higher at night. Stage I applies from 201 (Poor), Stage II from 301 (Very Poor), Stage III from 401 (Severe) and Stage IV above 450. This year CAQM moved diesel generator curbs and a ban on older buses into Stage I. What each GRAP stage does.

Latest

• 17 October: IITM's Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts Moderate air on 17 and 18 October, then Poor from 19 October for the following week. (IITM EWS, 16 October). IMD expects no rain in Delhi until 22 October (The Hans India with IANS, 17 October).
• 16 October: CPCB's 4 pm bulletin puts Delhi at 90 (Satisfactory) and Ghaziabad at 105 (Moderate), the only NCR city above 100 (CPCB). Our hourly data shows the NCR's air is cleanest from about noon to 5 pm and worst late at night (analysis).
• 16 October: Punjab has logged 174 farm fires this season as of 13 October, against 126 by the same date in 2025, with Amritsar (77) and Tarn Taran (61) leading (Rozana Spokesman, CAQM and PPCB data).
• 12 October: The Supreme Court leaves Delhi NCR's firecracker ban unchanged for now and asks CAQM for its view before Diwali; the matter was listed again for 15 October (LawBeat). Diwali 2026 rules.
• 12 October: 41.6 mm of rain in 24 hours, Delhi's wettest October day in four years, brings the AQI down to 83 (Asianet Newsable).
• 13 October: The Centre asks Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi NCR to fight stubble burning in "mission mode". Madhya Pradesh logged 277 farm fires from 15 September to 12 October, up from 55 a year earlier; Haryana was down 53.3% (India TV with PTI).
• 6 October: Punjab's farm fire count since 15 September stands at 88, its lowest for that period in seven years; Madhya Pradesh leads with 118 (Down To Earth).
• 30 September: The Supreme Court says it won't impose a total ban on firecrackers; Delhi NCR's Diwali rules are left to the M.C. Mehta bench. Diwali is on 8 November (Organiser).
• 29 September: Delhi's Winter Action Plan 2026-27: "No PUCC, No Fuel" at 500 fuel stations, a ban on dust-generating construction from 1 November to 31 January and on all construction from 10 December to 20 January (Asianet Newsable).
• 28 September: CAQM approves a revised GRAP schedule with 48 actions (The Pioneer).

Background: why Delhi's air turns toxic every winter and stubble burning explained.

What to do on a smoggy day

• Check the live reading for your area before going out. Readings across Delhi's stations can differ by over 100 points at the same time.
• Skip dawn walks and runs on smoggy days; early afternoon is usually cleaner.
• Wear a well-fitted N95 or FFP2 mask outdoors when the AQI is Poor or worse.
• Run a HEPA air purifier in bedrooms with windows closed.
• Don't burn anything, and keep your vehicle's PUC certificate valid.