8-point action plan invoked in Delhi as pollution worsens in city

The final stage of the Centre's anti-pollution plan has been invoked in Delhi and the National Capital Region with immediate effect as air quality in the national capital continues to worsen.

The 8-point action plan includes the following measures:

• A complete ban on truck traffic entering Delhi, except for trucks carrying essential commodities or providing essential services, and all LNG, CNG, and electric trucks.
• Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) registered outside Delhi, other than EVs, CNG, and BS-VI diesel vehicles, are prohibited from entering Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.
• A ban on the operation of Delhi-registered diesel Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.
• A ban on Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, etc.
• The NCR state governments and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) may decide to discontinue physical classes for classes 6 - 9, class 11 and switch to online mode.
• NCR state governments and GNCTD may decide to allow public, municipal, and private offices to operate at 50 per cent strength, with the rest of the employees working from home.
• The central government may consider permitting work from home for employees in central government offices.
• State governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of colleges and educational institutions, closure of non-emergency commercial activities, and permitting vehicles to run on an odd-even basis according to registration numbers.