IntrCity SmartBus launches India’s first air-purified buses amid rising pollution

Amid increasing air pollution, IntrCity SmartBus on Thursday announced that it has launched a new fleet equipped with air-purification systems, becoming the first bus operator in India to do so.

 The fleet, named ‘IntrCity SmartBus.AQI’ will include buses that monitor and filter cabin air on long-distance routes, as specified by the company. It would deliver cleaner, safer, and healthier in-cabin air for long-distance travellers.

It is being introduced in phases, starting with services in North India, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Katra and Pathankot, the company added.

 To address the air pollution issue within its buses, the company further shared that it partnered with climate-tech firm Respirer Living Sciences to install filtration systems designed to reduce PM2.5, carbon dioxide, dust and smoke inside the bus.

The buses display real-time air-quality data on board and through the IntrCity app, it said.

About IntrCity SmartBus

Operating across 630+ routes in 15 states, IntrCity SmartBus was co-founded by Manish Rathi, Sachin Saxena, and Kapil Raizada in 2011.

Manish Rathi said, “Our air-quality tests were eye-opening. As leaders in the intercity mobility category, we felt a responsibility to address this urgent health concern. SmartBus.AQI is our commitment to ensuring that clean, safe air becomes a standard part of bus travel in India. This is a meaningful upgrade to the overall travel experience and to passenger wellbeing.”

Ronak Sutaria, Co-founder, Respirer Living Sciences, said, “At Respirer, we are passionate about using climate sciences to improve quality of life. In this collaboration with IntrCity, we have not only deployed our indigenously developed AI-powered Air Quality Monitoring technology but are also providing our patent-pending demand-controlled energy-recovery based air filtration and ventilation solutions.”

The newly introduced SmartBus.AQI fleet integrates a continuous purification and monitoring system that filters pollutants and circulates fresh, safe air throughout the journey.

IntrCity has consistently introduced category-first solutions - onboard washrooms, boarding lounges, digital check-ins, and trained Bus Captains.

With SmartBus.AQI, the company now addresses a critical and previously overlooked concern: the quality of air passengers breathe during long hours inside a closed bus environment.

IntrCity has also introduced a dedicated SmartBus.AQI microsite where travellers and the public can explore how the technology works, understand the science behind air purification, and learn about the key highlights of this clean-air travel initiative.

Its companion brand, RailYatri, a popular train travel digital platform in India, is providing a simplified train ticket booking experience along with comprehensive trip data and insights, serving more than 12 million users monthly.

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