On a scorching afternoon in one of Delhi’s busiest markets, two worlds exist side by side. Inside brightly lit, air‑conditioned showrooms, customers move slowly between racks of clothes, escaping the worst of the summer heat.
Outside, under a blazing sun, street vendors, fruit sellers, cycle‑rickshaw drivers and ice‑cream cart operators continue working through temperatures soaring above 40°C.
Walking through the market itself feels exhausting. But for millions of informal workers across Delhi, staying out of the heat is not an option. Nearly 90 per cent of India’s workforce is informal, most without contracts or job security, many dependent on outdoor work for daily wages, according to a report of BBC.
Among them is 52‑year‑old Harish Chandra, who pedals a cycle‑rickshaw through crowded streets until the heat becomes unbearable. At a public tap, he splashes water over his face before settling into a narrow strip of shade. “The body gives up,” he says.
Dressed in thin, worn cotton clothes, Chandra says Delhi’s summers have become harder to bear each year. “My day starts around nine in the morning, when the weather is still manageable. But by noon, it becomes difficult. The sun is so harsh that sometimes I feel my body giving up while I pedal,” he says. “But if we stop, we don’t earn. And if we don’t earn, the family doesn’t eat.”
He recently sent his wife and three children back to their village in Bihar. Temperatures there are equally high, he says, but open spaces and better ventilation make it easier to cope than Delhi’s cramped lanes. For workers like Chandra, summer is no longer just a season, but an annual struggle for survival.
India’s heat season typically lasts from April until early July, before the monsoon brings relief. Climate scientists warn extreme heat is becoming longer, harsher and more unpredictable as heatwaves intensify under global warming.
Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist at the World Health Organization, told ANI this week that temperatures now being recorded in India are approaching the limits of “human tolerability” and pose a “threat to both lives and livelihoods.”
Since mid‑May, Delhi and surrounding areas have recorded daily highs above 40°C, at times crossing 45°C. Some relief is expected over the weekend, but heatwaves like these have become a familiar part of India’s summers. Experts say cities like Delhi are especially vulnerable because of the “urban heat island effect,” where concrete, traffic and limited green cover trap heat.
The weather office and Delhi government have issued regular heat warnings. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X urging people to stay hydrated, carry water outdoors and watch for signs of heat exhaustion, especially among children, the elderly and outdoor workers.
Delhi has a heat action plan that includes colour‑coded alerts, advisories to avoid peak afternoon exposure, water kiosks and cooling centres. But much of this advice is difficult to follow. Even when temperatures rise, rent must be paid and food bought.
Mohammad Umar, 50, has been sitting inside his tuk‑tuk near a busy traffic signal since morning, waiting for passengers. He says he rarely takes a day off, but last week the heat forced him to stay home. “My heart was racing and my body had no strength left. I must have bathed five times that day just to stay conscious,” he says.
Missing work comes at a cost. “On a single day, I can lose 500–700 rupees (around $5–$7) if I don’t work. And we still have to pay for food and daily needs. That money comes out of our small savings,” he says.
A report by the International Labour Organization estimates heat stress could reduce India’s total working hours by 5.8 per cent by 2030, with outdoor workers in agriculture and construction worst affected.
A Lancet Countdown report found India lost around 247 billion potential labour hours to heat in 2024, resulting in economic losses of $194 billion.
