Delhi's Worsening Air Quality Takes a Deadly Toll on Residents

Around 5:30 am every day, Sunil Gupta leaves his home in Modinagar for the commute to south Delhi, where he works as a medical equipment supplier. By the time he reaches his office in Saket, the city’s polluted air has already taken its toll. Gupta, 58, has lived with bronchitis and pneumonia for years, but over the past 18 months he saysDelhi’s worsening air quality has sharply intensified his symptoms. From November to March, he relies on nebulisers, spending about Rs 6,000 to 7,000 a month on treatment. Simple tasks such as walking, climbing stairs or speaking for long leave him breathless. As pollution levels rose in recent weeks, Gupta’s condition deteriorated further, forcing near-constant nebuliser use and repeated courses of antibiotics. Sleep offers little relief. “I cough through the night. My chest feels heavy,” he said.