Delhi is burning. On Monday, the Indian capital recorded a high of 45.2 degrees Celsius, a temperature that places the human body at the edge of its physiological limits. For those with access to air conditioning, the heat is an inconvenience. For the city’s poor, living in cramped slums with inadequate water and electricity, it is a death sentence. At least 15 people have died in the past 48 hours, according to local hospitals, though the true figure is likely higher. The victims include daily wage labourers, street vendors, and construction workers, their bodies unable to cope with the relentless thermal assault.
The heatwave has reignited a fierce debate about the efficacy of a 20 million pound British-funded climate resilience programme, launched in 2021 to help Delhi adapt to extreme temperatures. The programme, a collaboration between the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Delhi government, aimed to install cool roofs, expand green spaces, and set up early warning systems. Yet, as the mercury soars, critics argue that the results have been too little, too late. "We have seen some progress, but the scale of the crisis vastly outstrips the response," says Dr. Anjali Sharma, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. "The programme focused on long-term infrastructure, but the immediate needs of the urban poor are being neglected."
Consider the contrast. In the wealthy enclaves of South Delhi, air conditioners hum, and swimming pools offer respite. Meanwhile, in the sprawling slum of Seelampur, families sleep on rooftops, douse themselves with water from communal taps, and pray for nightfall. The heat index, which factors in humidity, has exceeded 50 degrees, a level at which heatstroke becomes a serious risk. "We have no escape," says Fatima, a 32-year-old mother of three who sells vegetables on the street. "The fans give hot air. The water is warm. We just try to survive."
The British programme has faced accusations of being disconnected from ground realities. A 2023 audit by the UK’s Independent Commission for Aid Impact found that only 30% of the funds had been spent, with delays attributed to bureaucratic hurdles and disputes over land use. "The programme was designed with a focus on governance and planning, but the crisis demands immediate, tangible interventions," says Professor David King, a former UK climate envoy. "You cannot plan for years while people die in the streets."
The situation is a stark reminder that climate resilience is not merely a technical challenge but a test of political will and social justice. Delhi’s poor are not collateral damage in a warming world; they are the frontline victims of a system that prioritises economic growth over human life. As the planet continues to heat, cities like Delhi will become laboratories for resilience, and the world will watch to see if programmes like this can truly protect the most vulnerable.
Today, as the sun sets over a city choked by heat and inequality, the question remains: how many more will die before the promises of resilience become reality?
