Delhi Shifts Classes Up to Class 9 Online After Severe Air Pollution Alert

New Delhi: In response to escalating pollution levels in capital, Delhi government announced on Sunday that all students from schools up to Class 9 will be shifting to online learning mode starting Monday. This comes following deteriorating air quality in national capital.

announcement follows Centre’s air quality panel’s decision to enforce Stage IV of Gred Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi-NCR, effective from 8 AM on Monday. This stage introduces more stringent pollution control measures aimed at rapidly reducing city’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which surged to a hazardous 457 (‘severe plus’) at 7 PM today.

"All Hes of government, government aided and unaided private recognised schools of DoE, MCD, NDMC and DCB in Delhi are hereby directed to ensure that physical classes for all students upto (sic) class nine and class eleven is (sic) to be discontinued from November 18 until furr orders," DoE stated in a circular.

"With imposition of GRAP-4 from tmrw, physical classes shall be discontinued for all students, apart from Class 10 and 12. All schools will hold online classes, until furr orders," Chief Minister Atishi also said in a post on X.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) worsened on Sunday, reaching 441 at 4 pm and rising to 457 by 7 pm due to unfavourable wear conditions.

According to government's order, no trucks will be allowed into Delhi except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel (LNG/CNG/BS-VI diesel/electric).

Non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will also be prohibited, except for electric vehicles and CNG and BS-VI diesel ones.

Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles are banned, except for those in essential services, panel said. 

Under GRAP-IV, several critical restrictions will be imposed, including:

- Complete Ban on Truck Entry: All trucks will be barred from entering Delhi to reduce vehicular emissions.

- Halt on Construction Activities: Construction work at all public projects will be suspended immediately to minimize dust and particulate matter.