Delhi's relentless heat waves since April have created a crisis for essential workers, forcing them into an impossible choice between health and income. Auto-rickshaw drivers, construction workers, and street vendors face temperatures exceeding 100°F while trying to maintain earnings, with many reducing work hours to 5 from 12 daily, directly impacting their livelihoods and productivity.

The economic toll extends beyond individual workers to the entire urban economy. Surface temperatures reaching 140°F have forced some delivery services to limit operations to three-mile radii, reducing efficiency. Delhi's response includes cooling zones and mobile relief vans, but these provide limited relief. Workers like delivery driver Roopak Yadav must choose between rest and earnings, accepting shorter trips but taking more orders.

This heat crisis represents a significant business challenge for companies dependent on outdoor labor. Workers like Krishna Rani, a security guard and sole breadwinner, cannot afford reduced hours despite health risks. The uneven distribution of heat affects vulnerable communities most severely, threatening productivity and increasing operational costs for businesses across Delhi's essential services sector.