Gurugram, a city that has it all, except clean air
But for all its modernity and drive, there’s one thing about Gurugram that unsettles him — its air. Each winter, as AQI levels soar and smog begins to blanket the city, Jindal finds himself worrying not for himself, but for his daughter.
At 32, Abhay Jindal, a resident of The Camellias in DLF 5, embodies a new generation of professionals who have found both purpose and peace in Gurugram’s evolving skyline. Born and raised in Delhi, Jindal spent his early years steeped in the energy of the capital — a true Delhiwala by temperament and upbringing. After studying in London for three years, he developed an appreciation for urban design and lifestyle precision, he returned to India in 2016 with a renewed fascination for cities that blend ambition with structure.
When he moved to Gurugram in 2023, he says the city immediately resonated with him — not because it resembled Delhi, but because it represented something entirely different, a city in motion. “Gurugram feels alive in a way few places do,” he says. “It’s ambitious, bold, and yet balanced. You can see the city reinventing itself every day.”
Coming from a real estate family, Jindal’s love for infrastructure is both inherited and instinctive. He finds beauty in the geometry of buildings, the symmetry of roads, and the vision that turns empty land into skylines. For him, Gurugram is a city that breathes ambition through its architecture. Jindal is into real estate projects.
“There’s something about driving down Golf Course Road at night, the skyline glows and feels cinematic,” he says. He often takes his daughter on drives along the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, especially the stretch that opens into Rajasthan. “She loves looking at the lights, and I love knowing that she’s growing up in a city that offers so much — good schools, wellness spaces, international food, and a community that values balance.”
For Jindal, Gurugram stands apart for its wellness-conscious lifestyle and it is a place that gives a person the freedom of choice. From cuisine to career, fitness to leisure, there’s room for everyone.
But for all its modernity and drive, there’s one thing about Gurugram that unsettles him — its air. Each winter, as AQI levels soar and smog begins to blanket the city, Jindal finds himself worrying not for himself, but for his daughter. “The air is the only thing that doesn’t match the city’s quality of life,” he says. “You can see the haze settle before you even feel it in your throat. It’s worrying.”
He believes the answer lies in collective consciousness. “We need to move towards electric vehicles, rethink construction dust, and reduce waste burning. The number of vehicles are high, but so is the potential for change. Awareness is the first step.”
“Every city has its flaws,” he says. “What matters is how willing we are to correct them.”
“Gurugram gives you everything — opportunity, community, comfort,” Jindal says. “It’s where my daughter is growing up, and where I’ve found my rhythm. All it needs now is air as clean as its aspirations.”
For Jindal, the city remains a metaphor for modern India. And as he puts it with quiet conviction, “Real change doesn’t come from systems alone, it begins with the people who choose to care.”
(Abhay Jindal is a resident of Camelias, DLF 5 and managing director of Homeland Group)
