Delhi Air Quality Hits Severe Levels as Gig Delivery Riders Report Breathing Problems

Rohit Kushwaha, a 25-year-old delivery driver in New Delhi, begins each shift after his wife reminds him to take medicine and wraps a cloth around his face. He joined an e-commerce company in 2025 and earns about 18,000 Indian rupees a month. The Japan Times reported that Delhi’s Air Quality Index remained between 300 and 400 from November through June 28, 2026, levels classified as severe.

Kushwaha moved to the city a few years ago with his family of four. He said the job requires riding through thick pollution that leaves his chest heavy with every breath. He cannot afford a high-quality mask and sometimes stays home, though that leaves the family without income.

Around 12 million people worked in gig roles across India as of 2025, with the total projected to double by 2030. The Japan Times reported that 85 percent of these workers are in their 20s and 30s and work eight or more hours daily. A 2023 study found food delivery riders on two-wheelers inhale high levels of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds.

On New Year’s Eve, thousands of gig workers struck against major e-commerce and delivery platforms. They sought fixed wages, reasonable hours, paid leave, and greater job stability. Raghav Chadha said gig workers are treated as “hostages with helmets” instead of employees with basic rights.

Rajesh Kumar, 24, who works for Blinkit, missed the strike after developing a high fever and persistent cough. He said the pollution is killing his lungs, that he sometimes coughs blood, and that a doctor advised him to change jobs. Kumar added that no other work is available and that the companies act like parasites.

A survey by the All India Gig Workers Union found more than 60 percent of gig workers reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. Kumar said he was recently in an accident caused by lack of sleep and smog that reduced visibility to nearly zero. A December report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago stated that air pollution shortens life expectancy for Delhi residents by nearly 12 years.