Under GRAP Stage 3, all non-essential construction and demolition work has been banned. This includes activities such as earthwork, piling, open trenching, welding, painting, plastering, tiling, and flooring, along with the operation of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants.
Transportation of materials like cement, sand, and fly ash is also restricted, while industries using unapproved fuels have been told to halt operations. Additionally, stone-crushing and mining activities have been suspended until further notice.
Protests Across the Capital Over Rising Pollution
As pollution levels spiked, several student groups and parents held demonstrations across the city. Members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) gathered outside Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s residence, demanding urgent steps to curb pollution. Protesters carried placards reading, “I miss breathing,” highlighting the worsening air crisis.
At India Gate, hundreds of parents and environmental activists staged a protest describing Delhi as a “gas chamber” and demanding immediate measures for clean air. Police detained activists from the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), and Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) for assembling without prior permission. “We want to meet our elected officials. We sought an appointment with the Chief Minister but were denied. Many parents are here because their children are suffering,” said environmentalist Bhavreen Khandari. Another protester, Abhishek, criticised the authorities, saying, “During Sheila Dikshit’s tenure, Delhi was called a green capital. Now it’s among the world’s most polluted cities. Politicians keep blaming each other instead of acting.”