As temperatures across several states in India climbed between 40°C and 46°C, heatwave alerts became impossible to ignore.
Roads emptied faster in the afternoon. Metal surfaces became too hot to touch. Cities slowed down under extreme heat warnings.
But even as many people escaped into air-conditioned homes, offices and cars, millions of workers still stepped out into the scorching sun because staying home was never really an option for them.
Across India’s cities, people continued standing on roads, construction sites and crowded streets to keep everyday life moving.
The People Keeping Cities Running
At construction sites, workers continued lifting bricks, cement bags, iron rods and heavy equipment for hours under direct sunlight.
The heat reflected off concrete surfaces while dust and hot winds made conditions even harsher. But for many daily wage labourers, stopping work is not an easy decision. Missing even one day can mean losing that entire day’s income.
And that loss affects rent, groceries, school fees and household expenses.
While many people worked indoors in cooled spaces, outdoor workers remained exposed to dangerous temperatures for entire shifts.
Standing On Burning Roads
Traffic police officers continued managing packed intersections through extreme heat, polluted air and long hours under direct sunlight.
In Delhi, authorities introduced measures to help personnel cope with the heatwave. Delhi Police and the Delhi government distributed ORS packets, created shaded rest points and even introduced air-conditioned helmets for some officers deployed on roads.
But despite these measures, the job still means standing on burning roads for hours while temperatures continue rising.
The Workers Behind Everyday Convenience
The heatwave also exposed how much cities depend on invisible outdoor labour.
Quick-commerce and delivery workers continued riding across cities through intense heat to deliver groceries, food, medicines and parcels on time.
Street vendors kept selling fruits, vegetables and essentials from carts, tin-roof stalls and temporary shelters offering little protection from the heat.
Security guards spent entire shifts outside offices, gates, parking lots and residential buildings in full uniforms, often without proper cooling or shaded rest areas.
Rickshaw pullers and e-rickshaw drivers continued navigating traffic-packed roads through soaring temperatures because stopping work also means stopping income.
Even when cities slow down during heatwave alerts, millions of workers continue carrying the weight of everyday life outdoors, often unnoticed.
What Extreme Heat Does To The Body
Doctors have repeatedly warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can lead to dehydration, exhaustion, heatstroke and other serious health complications.
Heatstroke can become life-threatening if the body is unable to cool itself properly. Symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, headaches and fainting.
But for many workers, survival and income leave little room for rest.
A delayed food delivery during a heatwave may involve someone travelling across the city in dangerous temperatures. A traffic officer standing silently at a signal may already have spent hours outdoors without enough recovery time.
The heatwave may be a headline for some people. For others, it becomes the entire workday.
Why India’s Heatwaves Are Getting Worse
Climate scientists have repeatedly linked recurring heatwaves in India to climate change.
Rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. Weather patterns like El Niño can push temperatures even higher by warming atmospheric conditions further.
Indian cities also trap more heat because of concrete-heavy infrastructure, shrinking green cover and traffic emissions. This makes urban areas feel significantly hotter during summer months.
And the people most exposed to these rising temperatures are often workers who spend the longest hours outdoors.
