A pioneering study examining air quality inside intercity buses has found that passengers spent up to 80% of their travel time breathing air with particulate matter levels below 60 micrograms per cubic meter, significantly cleaner than typical winter conditions in many North and Central Indian cities.
The analysis, conducted by Respirer Living Sciences and IntrCity SmartBus between December 7 and 14, 2025, monitored 11 IntrCity SmartBus.AQI vehicles equipped with continuous PM2.5 monitoring and filtration systems. This marks the first publicly available data on real-time air quality during long-distance road travel in India.
Routes including Delhi–Kanpur, Pune–Nagpur, Pune–Bangalore, Delhi–Lucknow, Pathankot–Delhi, Delhi–Katra, and Katra–Delhi maintained PM2.5 levels under 60 μg/m³ for more than 80% of journey time. The study found that high-pollution episodes above 90 μg/m³ typically accounted for less than 10% of travel time, often coinciding with external pollution hotspots, passenger boarding points, and rest stops.
Ronak Sutaria, Founder and CEO of Respirer Living Sciences, noted that the dataset provides the first quantifiable evidence of what passengers breathe inside buses during intercity journeys. The study identified specific stretches where pollution exposure increases, enabling targeted interventions through modified ventilation settings or operational adjustments.
Approximately 4,500 passenger journeys took place across the monitored buses during the monitoring period, based on standard 30-seat capacity per bus. The reduced exposure to high pollution levels represents a measurable health benefit for travelers, particularly during peak winter pollution episodes.
The SmartBus.AQI initiative integrates AI-powered air-quality monitoring and filtration technology into select IntrCity buses, targeting pollutants such as PM2.5, carbon dioxide, dust, and smoke. Passengers can view real-time air quality index and PM2.5 data onboard and through the IntrCity mobile application.
Manish Rathi, CEO and Co-Founder of IntrCity, stated that the collaboration addresses internal testing showing in-bus pollution levels can be two to three times higher than safe limits. The partnership aims to deploy cleaner air systems on high-pollution routes across India.
Respirer Living Sciences, founded in 2017, operates over 3,500 air monitoring devices across 35-plus cities in India and internationally, working with governments, businesses, and research institutions on air quality management initiatives.