‘CT scan showed black dots on my lungs…’: Life of a traffic cop battling pollution at Delhi’s most congested junction

He quickly checks traffic from Noida on Google Maps before changing the signal for vehicles coming from Faridabad. Just as he removes his mask to blow the whistle, a mini transport truck zips by — kicking up dust and obstructing the officer’s sight momentarily.

For most of November, the city experienced numerous days of ‘very poor’ air, with the AQI hovering over 300. As part of pollution-control measures, government and private offices were advised to enforce staggered working hours and “mandatorily” implement “work from home (WFH)” for half their staff.

But for these traffic policemen, WFH is simply not on the cards.

The senior officer points out how the bad air has affected his health. “During my annual check-up over the last two years, the CT scan showed black dots in my lungs,” he says. “My son asks me to quit my job, but how can I?”

‘I feel suffocated when I wear the mask for a long time,’ says a senior officer who has been in the force since 1991. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)

A 2022 study by AIIMS Delhi and the Department of Energy and Environment, TERI School of Advanced Studies, on Delhi’s outdoor workers exposed to air pollution and extreme weather events found that auto-rickshaw drivers, street vendors, sweepers, suffer health issues such as eye redness, headaches and limited lung function (see box).

The senior officer has been in the Traffic Police division since November 2021. As duty rosters change every month, he says he has been posted at Kalindi Kunj just twice — in March last year and now. Their shifts here, though, are long — from 7 am to 10.30-11 pm.

Last year, after his doctor advised him to get a literal breath of fresh air, he says he went on a 15-day trip to Solan in Himachal Pradesh to visit his sister.

“I felt lighter there, the air was clean and all my problems vanished,” he says. “Mann karta hai wahan hi bas jaayen (I feel like just settling down there).”

“The doctor did not prescribe medicine… He told me to wear masks and drink kadha to clear the infection… and advised me to stay away from polluted air. But how is that possible every day?” he says.

“The lifespan of Delhiites will surely reduce because of the pollution.”

Around noon, water tankers with mounted sprinklers make the rounds of the junction, weaving through the traffic. “We have requested them to come 3-4 times a day, at least,” another officer says, pointing to potholes and garbage littering the road.

This officer, who has served 39 years in the force — with three in the Traffic Police — complains of cough and throat pain.

“I cough a lot, it’s a hassle with or without a mask. My eyes get itchy when pollution peaks by evening. This traffic point is only slightly worse than others. If a vehicle gets stuck, it won’t move for at least two hours,” he says.

To decongest the junction, Additional Commissioner of Police, Delhi Traffic, Dinesh Kumar Gupta, said he had written to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in August, proposing the construction of a two-way flyover from Khadar Puliya to Noida and vice-versa.

“The traffic coming from Noida in 5-6 lanes, which discharges at Kalindi Kunj Junction in 3 lanes causing a bottleneck is due to the inadequate width of the road (sic),” he wrote.

He also said after the opening of the Mumbai Expressway, traffic from Faridabad/Badarpur worsened the conflict at the junction.

Additional CP Gupta said the NHAI had written back, saying a Detailed Project Report would be prepared and construction would be taken up accordingly.

He also said some measures are underway at the junction such as widening the road towards Khadar Puliya by removing slabs and poles, enabling a free left turn to Agra Canal Road, preventing wrong-side driving with Noida Police, and issuing continuous challans, including for PUCC violations.

As evening sets in, the long hours, noise, and dust weighs heavily on the team. “It feels like ants are scratching my head, and dizziness sets in,” says the senior officer.

He says even his wife complains that he takes out his frustration at home. “I become irritable… My family says I should leave my anger at work… I try to wake up refreshed the next day, but what can I do…,” he says, half smiling.

The men soldier on, waiting for their shift to end.

“The whole of Delhi struggles, but we face it directly. Others can sit in offices; we stay on the road every time,” adds the officer.

Key findings of the study:

Prevalence of symptoms: Auto drivers reported the highest prevalence of ophthalmic symptoms, such as eye redness (44%) and eye irritation (36%). In comparison, vendors reported a higher prevalence of headaches (43%) and eye redness (40%).

Reduced lung function: Tests revealed limited lung function in a significant portion of workers: 39% of sweepers, 33% of auto drivers, and 27% of street hawkers. Women waste pickers were found to be 3.9 times more likely than their male counterparts to have a respiratory disease.

Vulnerability: The study concluded that socio-economic circumstances often prevent these workers from taking time off during high pollution days, exacerbating their health conditions.

Inadequate protection: Most workers lacked access to or awareness of proper personal protective equipment (PPE), with very few using appropriate masks or goggles.