"Heat wave hits earnings, health of auto rickshaw drivers", 3 June 2024

Amid the prevailing heat wave conditions in the national capital, authorities have advised citizens to refrain from venturing out between noon and 4 p.m. to mitigate the risk of heat stress-related illnesses.

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Delhi’s auto rickshaw drivers have reported a significant reduction in work hours, attributed to school closures, a growing preference for air-conditioned cabs and customers avoiding venturing out during peak heat wave hours.

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However, avoiding the summer heat is simply not an option for the auto drivers of Delhi as they need to continue working under these extreme conditions due to financial necessity. Their earnings are already facing a hit as fewer people are either stepping out or taking autos because of the heat.

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Restricting working hours to early morning and evening hours and beyond may not be practical, they say.

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In such a situation, where even breaks are taken in the unrelenting heat, there is exhaustion and fatigue. If they want to work in the early and late hours of the day and take a break in the afternoon, they land up extending their time outdoors, which is not worth the returns.