Delhi’s Heat Action Plan says passengers should have access to basic amenities such as drinking water at buses and bus stops. But our ground report found a different reality. Across multiple bus routes and bus stops, drinking water was largely absent, even as temperatures hovered between 40°C and 45°C.
A recent survey by Public Forum found that nearly 1 in 6 bus stops in Delhi lacks a proper shelter. Of the 230 bus stops surveyed, 17 percent did not have the designated bus shelter. Thermal camera readings revealed surface temperatures touching a scorching 65°C in some locations.
The disparity is stark. While several bus stops in central Delhi feature modern shelters, smart panels, and charging points, commuters in East and South-East Delhi often contend with missing shelters, no route information, and no drinking water facilities.
“There’s no facility to stand here. We’ve been waiting for a long time and this heat is unbearable,” said Charan Singh, who had been waiting nearly an hour for a bus at Connaught Place.
Environmental campaigners warn that the problem worsens in Delhi’s outer areas, where concrete-heavy infrastructure traps and radiates heat, making bus stops even more uncomfortable and potentially dangerous.
Watch the report.
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