The air quality in the capital remained in the "severe" category for a second consecutive day, prompting authorities to impose stringent anti-pollution measures. The restrictions will come into force from Friday.

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The decision was taken by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

Under the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), all inter-state buses from NCR states -- except electric vehicles, CNG vehicles and BS-VI diesel buses -- will be prohibited from entering Delhi, alongside a stringent ban on construction and demolition activities, suspension of mining-related activities, consideration of shifting to online classes for students up to Class 5 and daily water sprinkling on major roads.

Under the third stage of the GRAP, there would be restrictions on the plying of BS-lll petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles in Delhi and the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.

The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four stages of air quality -- Stage 1 for "poor" Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging between 201 and 300, Stage 2 for "very poor" AQI of 301-400, Stage 3 for "severe" AQI of 401-450 and Stage 4 for "severe plus" AQI (more than 450).