VORIC: The Impact of Air Pollution on Bengaluru's Traffic Police

The VAAYU Occupational Respiratory Illness Clinic (VORIC) is a social-impact initiative of Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists and the VAAYU Respiratory Foundation, Bengaluru. Running since November 2023, VORIC studies and addresses the impact of air pollution on Bengaluru's traffic police, BMTC & KSRTC bus crew, construction workers, municipal and sanitation workers (Paurakarmikas) and professional drivers, connecting free workplace screening with treatment, education, research and policy advocacy.

The impact of pollution on traffic police in Bengaluru

Traffic police personnel in Bengaluru work long hours at congested junctions, directly exposed to vehicular exhaust and particulate matter. Around 30% of urban air pollution comes from vehicular traffic emissions, and respiratory disease is among the leading causes of illness and death in India. Constant exposure to exhaust fumes, PM2.5 and PM10 affects far more than the lungs: long-term exposure is linked to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduced lung function, respiratory infections, heart disease and stroke, and reduced productivity and quality of life. The impact of respiratory disease in this population is now recognised as one of multimorbidity, affecting the lungs, heart and virtually every organ in the body.

Air quality: PM2.5, PM10 and AQI

PM2.5 refers to fine particles that travel deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. PM10 is coarser particulate matter that contributes significantly to poor air quality. Both are reflected in the Air Quality Index (AQI), the everyday measure of how polluted the air around us is. From traffic emissions and construction dust to industrial pollution and indoor smoke, millions of people in India are exposed to harmful pollutants every day, often without realising the impact.

Who VORIC serves

What a VORIC screening camp includes

VORIC follows the STEM model: Screen, Test, Educate, Medicate. General health assessment covers blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, body mass index (BMI), random blood sugar and screening for hypertension and diabetes. Respiratory assessment covers symptom and exposure evaluation, doctor consultation, spirometry, Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT), Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) where available, chest radiograph (X-ray) and relevant blood investigations for selected cohorts. Treatment and follow-up include initial medication support where feasible, referral for further evaluation, follow-up advice and preventive health education. Screening is provided free of cost to participating workers and is brought directly to workplaces.

Impact so far

More than 11,000 people screened since November 2023, including 3,287 traffic police personnel, 4,389 BMTC & KSRTC bus crew, over 3,000 construction workers and more than 240 Paurakarmikas. VORIC has helped identify previously undiagnosed respiratory conditions, detect metabolic concerns such as hypertension and diabetes, initiate early treatment, improve awareness of lung health, and build a foundation for long-term follow-up and preventive policy.

Research and scientific collaboration

VORIC runs a five-year longitudinal research collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) on the impact of pollution on traffic police personnel. Published and presented work includes:

Policy engagement

VORIC has shared screening findings and programme proposals with the Traffic Police, BMTC and KSRTC, the Greater Bengaluru Authority, public-health authorities and state-government representatives, encouraging regular occupational-health screening, longitudinal follow-up, better protective measures and evidence-based preventive programmes.

Frequently asked questions

How does air pollution affect traffic police in Bengaluru?

Traffic police in Bengaluru spend long hours at busy junctions, directly exposed to vehicular exhaust and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). VORIC screening of 3,287 traffic police personnel has found reduced lung function, respiratory symptoms and previously undiagnosed conditions such as asthma and COPD, alongside metabolic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Long-term exposure is also linked to heart disease and stroke, which is why respiratory disease in this group is treated as multimorbidity affecting the lungs, heart and other organs.

What is VORIC?

VORIC is the VAAYU Occupational Respiratory Illness Clinic, a social-impact initiative of Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists and the VAAYU Respiratory Foundation in Bengaluru. Running since November 2023, it studies and addresses the impact of air pollution on traffic police and other people routinely exposed to exhaust fumes, dust and smoke at work, combining free workplace screening with treatment, education, research and policy advocacy.

How many people has VORIC screened?

VORIC has screened more than 11,000 high-risk workers since November 2023, including 3,287 traffic police personnel, 4,389 BMTC and KSRTC bus crew, over 3,000 construction workers and more than 240 Paurakarmikas (municipal sanitation workers).

Which workers are most at risk of occupational respiratory illness from air pollution?

The highest-risk groups are those with prolonged outdoor or traffic-adjacent exposure: traffic police, bus and transport staff, construction workers, municipal and sanitation workers, auto and cab drivers, and factory, security and industrial personnel exposed to dust or fumes.

What tests are included in a VORIC screening camp?

Each camp includes general health checks (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, BMI, random blood sugar, and screening for hypertension and diabetes) and a respiratory assessment (symptom and exposure evaluation, doctor consultation, spirometry, Forced Oscillation Technique, Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide where available, chest radiograph, and relevant blood investigations). Initial medication support, referral and follow-up advice are provided wherever feasible.

Is VORIC screening free for workers?

Yes. VORIC screening camps are provided free of cost to participating workers, funded as a social-impact initiative of Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists and the VAAYU Respiratory Foundation, and supported by partner organisations and CSR contributions.

What research is VORIC doing on pollution and traffic police health?

VORIC runs a five-year longitudinal research collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) on the impact of pollution on traffic police personnel. Its study of 2,450 traffic police personnel in Bengaluru, the largest occupational-health screening study of traffic police in India, was presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2025 in Amsterdam and published in Lung India. The BREATHE study on bus drivers was presented at NAPCON 2025 in Pune.

How can an organisation request a VORIC screening camp?

Government departments, transport organisations, construction companies, municipal bodies, corporates, industrial units, foundations, CSR teams and academic institutions can request a camp by contacting Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists at +91 63649 28680 or anmol@vaayuchest.com. VORIC supports one-time camps, periodic screening, follow-up programmes, health education and research collaboration.

VORIC in action: screening camps and engagement

Photographs from VORIC occupational respiratory screening camps for traffic police, bus crew, construction workers and municipal staff across Bengaluru.

Bengaluru traffic police personnel with the VORIC team at an occupational lung health screening camp
Bengaluru traffic police personnel with the VORIC team at an occupational lung health screening camp
A Bengaluru traffic police officer undergoing a spirometry lung function test at a VORIC roadside screening camp
A Bengaluru traffic police officer undergoing a spirometry lung function test at a VORIC roadside screening camp
VORIC mobile respiratory screening camp set up at a workplace in Bengaluru
VORIC mobile respiratory screening camp set up at a workplace in Bengaluru
Blood pressure and oxygen saturation being checked at a VORIC occupational health screening camp
Blood pressure and oxygen saturation being checked at a VORIC occupational health screening camp
A pulmonologist consulting a worker during a VORIC respiratory screening camp in Bengaluru
A pulmonologist consulting a worker during a VORIC respiratory screening camp in Bengaluru
Workers registering for free respiratory screening at a VORIC camp in Bengaluru
Workers registering for free respiratory screening at a VORIC camp in Bengaluru
Health screening in progress at a VORIC occupational respiratory illness camp
Health screening in progress at a VORIC occupational respiratory illness camp
The VORIC team with the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru
The VORIC team with the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru
The VORIC team with BMTC and KSRTC leadership on respiratory screening for bus crew
The VORIC team with BMTC and KSRTC leadership on respiratory screening for bus crew
The VORIC team with the Chief Commissioner of the BBMP, Bengaluru
The VORIC team with the Chief Commissioner of the BBMP, Bengaluru
Dr Ravindra Mehta with Sri M.N. Anucheth, IPS, then Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru
Dr Ravindra Mehta with Sri M.N. Anucheth, IPS, then Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru
Dr Ravindra Mehta with Sri Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament for Bangalore South
Dr Ravindra Mehta with Sri Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament for Bangalore South

Engagement with officials and public representatives

VORIC works directly with the departments whose personnel it screens, and the programme has been recognised by senior officials and elected representatives in Bengaluru. Dr Ravindra Mehta of Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists has presented the programme to Sri M.N. Anucheth, IPS, then Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru, and to Sri Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament for Bangalore South, alongside meetings with the Joint Commissioner of Traffic Police, BMTC and KSRTC leadership and the Chief Commissioner of the BBMP.

Related care at Vaayu

Workers found to have a respiratory condition during VORIC screening are referred into specialist care at Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists in Jayanagar, Bengaluru:

Contact VORIC

VAAYU Respiratory Foundation, Ground & 3rd Floor, 37/17, 10th Main Road, 5th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru 560041, Karnataka, India. Telephone +91 63649 28680. Email anmol@vaayuchest.com. Contact Vaayu Chest & Sleep Specialists to request a screening camp, explore CSR support or collaborate on research. Book an appointment.