The Commission for Air Quality Management on Thursday revoked emergency measures under stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP, in the National Capital Region as the region’s air quality improved.

Measures under stage 2 of the graded action plan will, however, remain in force. This means that civic bodies have to carry out mechanical or vacuum sweeping of roads daily and strictly enforce dust control measures.

Construction and demolition activities that have been given specific closure orders cannot resume their operations till further orders.

The air quality panel had reimposed emergency measures under stage 3 on January 9 as the air quality in Delhi plummeted to the “very poor” category.

With this, classes in primary schools had transitioned to hybrid mode in Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar. This meant that parents and students had the option to choose between offline and online classes wherever available.

The Commission for Air Quality Management noted in its order revoking stage 3 restrictions on Sunday that Delhi’s air quality index at 4 pm was recorded at 278. This was 72 points below the 350-mark, at which grade 3 of the incremental anti-pollution measures has to be implemented.

On Sunday, light rainfall triggered by a western disturbance significantly improved air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region. The Commission for Air Quality Management said that the India Meteorological Department has predicted another western disturbance on January 14 and 15.

Western disturbances are low-pressure storms that originate in the Mediterranean Sea, and bring winter rain to part of India.