Delhi-NCR GRAP Rules 2026: Which Cars Are Restricted, PUC Fines, What Changed

Every winter, Delhi-NCR's air turns toxic and the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) decides what you can and cannot drive. For winter 2026 the rulebook has changed: the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) approved a revised GRAP on 28 September 2026, and since 1 October a vehicle without a valid PUC certificate can be refused fuel across NCR. Here is what each stage means for your car or bike, what the fines are, and where the plan falls short.

What is GRAP and how are its stages triggered?

GRAP is a set of emergency actions CAQM switches on in steps as Delhi's daily average AQI worsens. Each stage adds to the ones below it, and CAQM often invokes a stage in advance when the IMD and IITM forecast shows AQI about to cross the line.

What changed in GRAP for winter 2026?

On 28 September 2026 CAQM reworked the schedule, merging repeated dust, waste and transport actions into Stage I. The main changes for motorists:

• Sonipat added: the Stage III restriction on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel light motor vehicles now covers Sonipat too, along with Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.
• Buses earlier: curbs on BS4 and older inter-city buses moved from Stage II to Stage I. Only electric, CNG and BS-VI diesel buses are allowed in.
• No essential-goods loophole: The Pioneer reports that the exemption for BS4 and older goods vehicles carrying essential commodities is removed at Stages III and IV.
• Diesel generators: restrictions on DG sets also start at Stage I now.

This follows the November 2025 revision, which shifted measures one stage earlier across the board.

Which cars are banned under GRAP Stage 3 and Stage 4?

The rule that hits private owners hardest is at Stage III: BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel four-wheelers (LMVs) cannot be driven in Delhi and the five listed NCR districts. If your car is BS6 petrol, BS6 diesel, CNG or electric, GRAP does not stop it at any stage. BS4 petrol cars are also not covered by this specific curb. Specially adapted vehicles used by persons with disabilities for personal use are exempt.

Stage IV adds heavier curbs, mainly on trucks: BS4 trucks cannot enter Delhi unless they carry essential goods or services (LNG, CNG, electric and BS-VI diesel trucks can), and Delhi-registered BS4 diesel heavy goods vehicles are kept off the road. States may also consider an odd-even scheme. Separately, from 1 November 2026 BS4 commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi lose their transition window and only BS-VI, CNG, LNG and electric goods vehicles can enter, under CAQM Direction 88.

Are two-wheelers restricted under GRAP?

GRAP's BS-norm curbs apply to four-wheelers and goods vehicles, not to private bikes and scooters. Two-wheeler riders still need a valid PUC, and the age rules apply. If a state brings in odd-even at Stage IV, its own order will say whether two-wheelers are covered, so check before you ride. Winter fog and smog cut visibility, so a brighter, correctly aimed H4 LED bike headlight and a waterproof bike cover against overnight dew and dust are worth having.

What is the No PUC, No Fuel rule and what is the fine?

Under a CAQM direction issued on 15 May 2026, fuel stations across Delhi-NCR must refuse petrol, diesel or CNG to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) from 1 October 2026. ANPR cameras at pumps read your number plate and check the PUC database (1,041 pumps across NCR are being covered); until they work, Haryana's NCR pumps must check manually. Driving without a valid PUC can attract a fine of up to Rs 10,000.

Driving a BS3 petrol or BS4 diesel car during Stage III has, in past winters, drawn Rs 20,000 challans from Delhi Traffic Police. And on 17 December 2025 the Supreme Court allowed action against end-of-life vehicles (10-year diesel, 15-year petrol) that are below BS4, while BS4 and newer vehicles stay protected from coercive action for now.

What is the current GRAP stage in Delhi?

As of 16 October 2026, we found no CAQM order invoking any GRAP stage for this winter. Delhi's AQI touched 196 on 4 October, just below the Stage I mark of 201, while Noida (281) was already Poor. Rain this week then pulled Delhi back to the Moderate band, with AQI between 149 and 165 on 16 October (Times Now Hindi). Stage I began on 14 October in both 2024 and 2025, and pollution usually climbs after Dussehra and Diwali, so a stage can be invoked at short notice. Check caqm.nic.in or the SAMEER app before you drive.

What should car and bike owners in Delhi-NCR do now?

• Renew your PUC before it lapses; without it you may not get fuel at all.
• Check your emission norm on the RC. If you own a BS3 petrol or BS4 diesel car, plan a second option for Stage III days.
• Keep tyres at the right pressure: under-inflated tyres burn more fuel. A 150 PSI tyre inflator makes the weekly check quick.
• Clean glass helps in smog: wipe the grimy film off the windscreen and mirrors with a 1200 GSM microfiber towel.
• Protect parked cars: winter dust and dew settle fast, and a waterproof GLORY car cover keeps the paint clean.
• Plan routes around jams: idling adds emissions; live maps on a wireless CarPlay video box help in cars that already have wired CarPlay.

Does GRAP work? Benefits and criticism

In January 2026, environmentalist Sunil Dahiya told PTI that GRAP relies on an outdated emission inventory with no way to track whether its actions cut emissions. Vehicles still matter: a 2022 CSE analysis found traffic made up about half of the PM2.5 from Delhi's own local sources.

Key takeaways

• GRAP has four stages: Poor (201 to 300), Very Poor (301 to 400), Severe (401 to 450) and Severe+ (above 450).
• BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel cars are restricted from Stage III in Delhi and five NCR districts, now including Sonipat.
• From 1 October 2026, no valid PUC can mean no fuel anywhere in NCR; the fine is up to Rs 10,000.
• BS6, CNG and electric cars are not restricted by GRAP; private two-wheelers face no BS-norm curb.
• As of 16 October 2026 no GRAP stage had been invoked for this winter; check CAQM before you drive.

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