'Could Taste, Smell Pollution': London-Based Founder Cuts Delhi Trip Short, Calls It 'Crisis'; Flags Mumbai’s Pollution Too

Delhi News: A London-based tech founder who travelled to Delhi for a short visit ended his trip abruptly, saying the capital’s toxic air left him with sore throat and breathing discomfort within hours of landing. His public post triggered widespread debate online, highlighting once again the severity of Delhi’s air quality crisis.

Kunal Kushwaha, senior developer associate and founder of WeMakeDevs, shared his experience on LinkedIn and Twitter, describing the pollution levels as a “crisis” and warning people to reconsider living in highly polluted cities. He wrote that even an AQI of 200 had a physical effect on him after spending several years in London. “The moment I landed in Delhi I could literally taste and smell the pollution. Even AQI 200 hit me hard: sore throat, and a feeling like needles in my lungs,” he said. He added that he grew up in Delhi and never felt this degree of discomfort earlier.

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Kushwaha, who also mentioned that Mumbai faces similar challenges, called the current situation a “health emergency”. “Please leave this city for your own sake… I’ve cut my trip short and I’m leaving this city tomorrow,” he wrote.

His post sparked discussion, with one user writing, “Career, wealth, or ‘settling down’ only make sense on the foundation of a healthy body and mind.” Another user who recently flew into Delhi said the smog was so thick that they could not see the runway until landing.

Leave Delhi, go in debt if you have to.

I used to think, how bad can the AQI really be for people in Delhi? I knew it was bad, but I never understood the scale because I didn’t feel it as drastically. I grew up in Delhi, studied here, and never felt a huge difference. You see… pic.twitter.com/OV5RVE351C

— Kunal Kushwaha (@kunalstwt) November 22, 2025

Others argued that while leaving the city may help individuals, influential voices must also push for long-term solutions. One comment said, “People with your influence can help accelerate real change… We need both awareness and action.”

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Delhi Pollution

Delhi continued to record hazardous air on Sunday. CPCB data showed the overall AQI at 381, categorised as “very poor”. Thirteen monitoring stations reported “severe” air quality, while 25 recorded “very poor” levels above 300.

The capital has been struggling with poor to severe air quality for weeks, with experts warning of prolonged health impacts if conditions persist.