Gig and platform workers are among the most visible faces of India's cities, yet among the least protected from its heat. Delivery workers, app-based drivers and other platform workers spend their working hours outdoors, navigating traffic and peak sun in some of India's hottest urban centres. They cannot stop working when it gets hot, because stopping means losing income. And the platforms they work for carry no legal obligation to protect them from occupational heat exposure.
HeatWatch surveyed 166 gig and platform workers in Hyderabad and found that over 40% lacked access to cold and clean drinking water in public spaces, and nearly 69% had no access to clean washrooms. 48.97% reported a significant drop in productivity due to extreme heat. HeatWatch and TGPWU have jointly written to Central and State governments and the NHRC demanding protections for gig workers.
Read more about our work with Gig and Platform workers here.