Indian traveller calls New York ‘America’s stinkiest city’ after spotting smoke-spewing manholes. Video

An Indian vlogger called New York the "stinkiest city" after sharing a video of smoke rising from manholes

An Indian travel vlogger has sparked a lively discussion on social media after sharing a video from the streets of New York, capturing foul-smelling smoke rising from manholes at a busy city intersection. The clip, posted by traveller Nitish Advitiy, was shared on Instagram with the caption: “America’s stinkiest city”, and has since garnered nearly 50,000 views.

A video by an Indian traveller showing smoke from NYC manholes went viral.(Instagram/nitishadvitiy)

Smoke and movement at a busy crossing

In the short video, filmed at what appears to be a typical pedestrian crossing in New York City, white smoke is seen billowing out of manholes in the middle of the road. Despite the smoke, pedestrians continue walking and cars keep moving — a familiar urban sight for many New Yorkers but quite unexpected for international visitors.

An on-screen text overlay in the clip reads: “America’s stinkiest city – New York, USA”, underlining the vlogger’s impression of the city’s sanitation and street conditions.

Watch the clip here:

Reactions pour in from viewers

The video has prompted a range of reactions, from humour and sarcasm to commentary on perceived double standards. One user wrote, “Kuch logo ko khushbu bahut acha lagega,” implying some might actually like the smell. Another remarked, “Still they will blame India,” criticising what they see as an unfair media narrative about hygiene in developing nations.

Responding in disbelief, one viewer said, “OMG I can't believe this is NYC,” while another added, “This looks so yuck.” A user jokingly clarified, “LA mein nahi hai bhai,” distancing themselves from the scene.

Highlighting media bias, another commenter noted, “This is what western media never shows,” pointing to the lack of coverage about such realities in major Western cities.