New Delhi, April 27, 2025 — Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday, April 26, chaired a comprehensive review of the city's Heat Wave Action Plan 2026, directing all departments to enforce ground-level measures immediately — particularly at scientifically mapped thermal hotspots across the capital. With Delhi recording temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius for nearly 40 consecutive days over the past two to three years, officials say this year's response is the most data-driven and robust in the city's history.

Scientific Assessment Using Satellite Data

For the first time, the Delhi government has deployed satellite data to conduct a city-wide thermal risk assessment, identifying high-risk zones with precision. This marks a significant departure from previous years, when heatwave responses were largely reactive rather than preventive.

Ayanagar in South Delhi has previously recorded a peak temperature of 45.5 degrees Celsius, making it one of the most vulnerable zones. Najafgarh recorded 43.7 degrees Celsius in 2025, while Safdarjung hit a staggering 46.8 degrees Celsius in 2023 — one of the highest ever recorded in the capital.

Emerging thermal hotspots identified include Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, Khayala, Shastri Park, Vishwas Nagar, Harkesh Nagar, Hari Nagar, and Delhi Gate. Densely populated fringe localities such as Sawda, Mubarakpur Dabas, Bhalswa, Nand Nagri, Gokulpuri, and Bakkarwala are experiencing intensified urban heat island effects — a phenomenon where built-up areas trap and amplify heat far beyond surrounding regions.

Protection Measures for Vulnerable Groups

CM Gupta placed special emphasis on shielding the city's most at-risk populations — school children, construction workers, stray animals, and birds. The plan mandates that ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) be administered to school children before they leave campus during peak heat days to prevent dehydration during their commute.

For construction workers, outdoor work may be suspended between 12 noon and 3 p.m. during severe heatwave conditions. Workers will be provided drinking water, caps, and Gamcha coverings, along with first-aid kits and ice packs at worksites.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Education Department, and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) have been directed to install water containers for birds and dedicated water points for stray animals across parks, bus depots, and school campuses.

Infrastructure and Emergency Response

The Health Department has placed more than 339 health centres across all 13 districts on high alert. Over 30 hospitals have established dedicated five-bed 'cool rooms' specifically for heatwave patients. Citizens can access emergency assistance through 24x7 helplines — 1077, 1070, or 112.

A total of 39 Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and trained ASHA workers are on standby across the city. Increased ORS stock, additional water tankers, and cold drinking water arrangements are being set up at busy public locations including bus stops and terminals.

To cool urban spaces, high-pressure misting systems will be installed at bus stops, and anti-smog guns will be deployed to bring down temperatures in densely built-up areas. Notably, reflective cool-roof coating has already been applied over 28,674 square feet at the Kashmere Gate ISBT, reducing indoor temperatures — a pilot for the upcoming Cool Roof Policy 2026.

Power Supply and Peak Demand Concerns

Delhi's peak power demand this summer is projected to exceed 9,000 MW — significantly higher than last year's record demand of 8,442 MW. CM Gupta issued strict directives to power distribution companies, warning that supply cuts will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

This comes amid growing concerns that urban heat stress and power demand form a dangerous feedback loop — higher temperatures drive air-conditioning usage, which in turn strains the grid, leading to outages that further endanger vulnerable residents unable to cope with the heat.

Broader Context and What's at Stake

Delhi's escalating heat crisis is not an isolated phenomenon. Across India, 2023 and 2024 were among the hottest years on record, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of longer, more intense heatwave seasons driven by climate change. Critically, urban centres like Delhi — with their dense concrete infrastructure, limited green cover, and high vehicular emissions — are disproportionately affected by the urban heat island effect.

The Heat Wave Action Plan 2026 represents a policy shift toward proactive, science-led urban heat management. Whether its implementation matches its ambition will be closely watched, especially given that past heatwave deaths in India are widely believed to be undercounted, with studies suggesting actual mortality figures could be several times higher than official records.

As summer intensifies through May and June 2025, the effectiveness of Delhi's ground-level response — from QRTs to cool rooms to misting systems — will serve as a critical test of the city's climate resilience infrastructure and the Rekha Gupta government's administrative capacity.