E-Paper
'No point defending it now': Reddit user's harsh take on Delhi NCR goes viral amid worsening air pollution
The user compared life in NCR with that in southern and western cities, arguing that the region no longer stands out except for “overpriced real estate”.
A Reddit post declaring that “Delhi NCR is cooked” has gone viral amid worsening air quality in the national capital region.
In the post titled ‘Delhi NCR is cooked no point of defending it now’, the user shared that he was born and brought up in Noida and has lived and worked across multiple cities, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune. After spending a week in Pune recently, the user concluded that Delhi NCR is “done” on several fronts - from air quality and safety to food and jobs.
(Also read: Startup founder cuts Delhi trip short due to toxic air, urges people to leave)
Food, jobs and cost of living
In the post, the user compared life in NCR with that in southern and western cities, arguing that the region no longer stands out except for “overpriced real estate”.
On food, the Redditor argued that while NCR offers variety, it fails to compete with cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, especially for non-vegetarian cuisine. “Food in NCR is overpriced. In the South, you can easily eat well for ₹100– ₹150, even in cafés like Namaste. A proper biryani won’t cost more than ₹200. Here, for ₹200, you’ll get unhygienic Moradabadi-style biryani at best,” the user wrote.
From a career perspective, the Redditor said IT professionals are far better off in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, where tech opportunities and pay are stronger than in North India.
Traffic woes, the user admitted, are common across metros, though Delhi NCR was said to have a slight edge. On safety and everyday freedom, the user contrasted Pune’s late-night street life with NCR’s quieter, “unsafe-feeling” streets after 10–11 pm. “ In NCR, you think twice before stepping out after 10–11 PM. The city just goes silent, and empty streets don’t feel safe,” he wrote.
Real estate was the only category where the user sarcastically said NCR “beats” the South, largely because of how expensive it has become. “In places like Gurgaon, you won’t get anything decent under ₹1–1.5 crore. In Pune (Kharadi), you can get a decent 2BHK in the same budget. In Bangalore (HSR Layout), you’ll find similar options around ₹90 lakhs,” he said.
(Also Read: Foreigner’s grim take on Delhi air pollution as thick smog chokes city: ‘Could barely see the sun’)
Delhi air pollution
Lastly, “air has no comparison at all,” the user wrote. Citing AQI levels touching 700+ in parts of Delhi-NCR, he said that the real crisis is not just toxic air but how normalised it has become. “Politicians sit in air-purified cabins saying ‘iss saal pollution comparatively kam hai.’ There was one protest, no news channel covered it. The next day, a bomb blast happened, and the issue disappeared. Soon, the number of deaths due to air pollution will be far higher than deaths from such incidents—but no politician is willing to take responsibility,” he wrote.
Concluding the post, he said, “If you are still defending Delhi then you haven’t visited and other city yet !!! Comparing north India with south India is like comparing Babar Azam with Sachin Tendulkar.”
The post has drawn several reactions, with many users agreeing that pollution has pushed Delhi NCR past a breaking point.
Notably, the morning readings on Sunday said several areas across Delhi were in the ‘severe’ Air Quality Index (AQI) bracket, with readings well over 400. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's data, Delhi's overall AQI, as of 7 am on December 14, stood at 461, thus close to the ceiling of the ‘severe’ category (up to 500). This was worse than Saturday. The reading improved by one point to 460 by 8 am.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
