New Delhi, India – Every day before he leaves his rented room in New Delhi, gig worker Aman fills three plastic bottles with water from an earthen pot and packs them along with some leftover food into a sling bag. The 26-year-old relocated from Bihar to New Delhi in 2018 to work as a delivery driver to support his family. He claims he has never worked under such harsh heat conditions before.

India is currently experiencing an intense heatwave. Last month, Delhi saw temperatures rise to a record-breaking 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.2 degrees Fahrenheit), though weather officials later adjusted the maximum temperature to the high 40s (113-120F). In 2021, India was identified as one of the top five countries globally most exposed to extreme heat.

“When I'm riding my two-wheeler for deliveries, the hot air feels like sitting next to a furnace,” says Aman, preferring to go by a single name. Last month, he fainted from the heat while making a delivery in a remote area of Delhi, but a shopkeeper helped by pouring cold water over his head. “Since then, I carry small bottles of water to sprinkle on my head and face to stay conscious,” he says, drenched in sweat.

According to a recent report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), rising temperatures in India will cut daily working hours by 5.8 percent by 2030. With 90 percent of India’s workers being employed in the informal sector, this reduction poses significant challenges.

Aman’s family is worried about his health and wellbeing, but switching jobs isn’t an option. “I fear what will happen if something tragic occurs due to the heat,” he says. “But I have no other skills besides driving and a family to take care of, so I cannot afford to quit.”

The scorching temperatures affect him mentally and economically, impacting his ability to meet delivery targets. During winter, he earned around 750 Indian rupees ($9) daily, but this has dropped to 500 rupees ($6) in the heat. “It really haunts me how I will manage to support my family,” he says, readying for his last delivery of the day after a 10-hour shift.

A report by government think-tank NITI Aayog stated that India has 7.7 million gig workers, projected to rise to 23.5 million by 2029-30.

In South Delhi, Sharukh, 25, who delivers food for Zomato, stands by an old, rusted cooler outside a small eatery. “High-end restaurants don’t even let us stand outside while we wait for orders,” Sharukh laments, adding that delivery people often have to beg for water in the scorching heat and are treated akin to “untouchables”.

Since the onset of the heatwave, Sharukh avoids high-end restaurants in favor of smaller eateries that offer water and a place to rest. “After all, I am not a machine,” he says, awaiting his seventh order of the day, typically earning 500 to 650 rupees ($6 to $7.80) daily.

From March to May, approximately 25,000 cases of suspected heatstroke and 56 deaths were reported during India’s severe heatwave, with May being particularly deadly with 46 heat-related fatalities, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Some reports suggest the death toll could be as high as 80 or even 100.

Last month, Sharukh suffered extreme stomach pain while delivering an order and has since been skipping heavy meals to stay light, relying on lemonade from roadside stalls to stay hydrated.

“This year’s heat has badly affected my health. After work, I feel completely exhausted and often have severe headaches,” he says. Frequent power outages at home prevent him from resting properly, worsening his condition. His mother urges him to find a different job, but due to high unemployment rates, that’s not feasible.

“Our companies aren’t doing enough for our safety and welfare,” Sharukh notes, wrapping a wet gamcha (soft cotton towel) around his face before heading out for the next delivery.

Long working hours, pressure to meet delivery quotas, carrying heavy loads, irregular income, and lack of social security like health insurance all adversely affect gig workers’ physical and mental health, according to a 2024 report by Janpahal, a Delhi-based non-profit.

“We all experience similar temperatures, but the burden of heat isn't shared equally,” says Selomi Garnaik, a campaigner at Greenpeace India. “Heatwaves disproportionately affect outdoor workers, forcing them to endure extreme temperatures, jeopardizing their health and safety.”

Greenpeace India is advocating for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to declare heatwaves a national disaster to ensure “effective fund allocation for heatwave adaptation, mitigation, and relief,” Garnaik adds. “Heat action plans need to prioritize outdoor workers, reducing their working hours during peak heat, providing work absence allowances, and ensuring access to basic public amenities like electricity and water.”

Govinda Shah, 27, a delivery driver for Zepto, a grocery delivery platform, describes the Delhi heat as “hellfire… especially for people like me who live hand to mouth.” Waiting under a tree for his next order in Gurugram, a major satellite city of New Delhi, Shah works 10-hour shifts, earning about 600 rupees ($7.20) daily. The excessive heat is both physically and mentally challenging. “I have rashes making it painful to walk, and my clothes stink unpleasantly, which is embarrassing in front of customers,” says Shah. “Before bed, I pray for the heatwave to end soon; otherwise, survival is difficult.”