Power cuts, concrete jungles make intense heat spells unbearable for the marginalised in Delhi

Delhi’s heat action plan also mentions that the elderly are at higher risk due to lower cardiovascular efficiency. 
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

“Everything gets more difficult during summer. Our throats dry up, we feel tired and faint, but this is our job and we don’t have any other option,” says 50-year-old Jasoda, a construction worker, covering her head with her saree’s pallu.

Delhi’s heat action plan, drafted by the National Disaster Management Authority and unveiled by the BJP government in April, identifies the Prem Bari bridge, where Ms. Jasoda works, as one of the 10 hotspots where vulnerable groups are exposed to scorching heat. The plan identifies the most vulnerable groups aschildren, women, the elderly, construction workers, people from economically weaker sections, people with disabilities, and those suffering from chronic illnesses.

Ms. Jasoda, who moved from Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi nearly three decades ago, said she has seen summers worsening every year. “The contractor arranges water for us, but there are no fans at the construction site, and we have to work under the sun for over nine hours daily between 9 a.m. and 6-6.30 p.m.,” she said.

Raju Pal, 47, who lives in Jahangirpuri and works in an insurance company in north-west Delhi’s Pitampura, blames unchecked urbanisation for the harsh environment. “There are no trees or parks in the area, that is why it becomes hotter than other parts of the city,” he said, adding that commuting to his work is the hardest part of his day.

The action plan points out that urban areas like Jahangirpuri, with impervious surfaces such as asphalt, concrete, less vegetation and constant emissions from vehicles and industries, trap more heat than rural areas comprising ample green cover.

‘Fall sick every year’

In Khayala, another hotspot, 50-year-old Rajendri, who runs a shoe repair shop in a single room with a small fan, says, “We cannot afford an air conditioner. There are frequent power cuts. My elderly mother falls sick this time every year.”

Delhi’s heat action plan also mentions that the elderly are at higher risk due to lower cardiovascular efficiency. 

Published – May 05, 2025 01:52 am IST

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