Delhi has been brought to a standstill by a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures soaring past 45C. The city’s authorities have declared an indoor lockdown, urging residents to stay inside as the blistering sun beats down. For the working poor, this is not a choice but a crisis. Rickshaw pullers, street vendors and construction workers face a terrible trade-off: risk heatstroke or lose a day’s wage.
The UK Foreign Office has now issued a travel warning, advising against all but essential travel to the Indian capital. The alert cautions that extreme heat can affect even the healthiest travellers. But for those who cannot afford to flee, the heat is a brutal reality. The local government has opened cooling centres and distributed water, but demand outstrips supply.
This is not just a weather event. It is a symptom of a global crisis that hits the poorest hardest. Delhi’s power grid is strained to breaking point as air conditioners hum. Those without access to cooling, often the migrant labourers living in makeshift shelters, face the greatest danger. The heat index, which measures how hot it really feels, has pushed past 55C.
The lockdown, while necessary, has paralysed the informal economy. Millions depend on daily wages earned on the streets. With no work, there is no money for food or water. Charities are struggling to reach the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, hospitals report a surge in heat-related illnesses: dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
The UK travel warning is a stark reminder that the climate crisis is here. It is not a distant threat. It is a present danger that amplifies inequality. As Delhi swelters, the world watches. But for those living through it, the question is simple: how to survive the next hour?
The government has promised compensation for lost wages, but many workers are not registered and will fall through the cracks. The heatwave is forecast to continue for at least another week. For Delhi’s poor, the lockdown is a life sentence, not a precaution. The city’s elite can retreat to air-conditioned homes and offices. The rest must endure.
