65°C on the ground: Delhi’s bus stops are turning into heat traps

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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