CM Rekha rolls out 13 mobile heat relief units
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday launched 13 mobile heat relief units, one for each district, as the Government intensified its response to rising temperatures and worsening heatwave conditions across the Capital.
The mobile vans, flagged off from the Delhi Secretariat, will travel through crowded, heat-prone areas to provide cold drinking water, ORS packets, first aid, cotton towels, and caps to people exposed to extreme summer heat.
At the same event, the Chief Minister also released the government’s Heat Action Plan 2026, a broader citywide strategy aimed at preventing heat-related illness and protecting vulnerable residents during the peak summer months.
The Chief Minister said the government’s focus was on delivering relief directly on the ground rather than limiting action to policy announcements. She said each of the 13 districts has been assigned one dedicated mobile relief unit that will operate daily in labour hubs, bus terminals, markets, slum pockets, and other high-footfall areas where people remain exposed to the sun for long hours.
The units will function from 11 am to 6 pm, and each vehicle has been fitted with a 400 to 500 litre chilled water tank, ORS distribution material, first aid supplies, and emergency support items. Officials said every district will also have 10 Civil Defence volunteers attached to the operation for the next three months to assist with crowd outreach and relief distribution. As per the deployment plan, each district is expected to distribute nearly 1,000 ORS sachets, 300 cotton towels, and 200 caps every day. The Chief Minister said the campaign has been launched keeping in mind those sections that face the highest risk during heatwaves, including daily wage workers, construction labourers, street vendors, homeless residents, women, children, and senior citizens.
She said the administration has issued special advisories to both public and private institutions asking them to suspend outdoor labour-intensive work between 1 pm and 4 pm, when temperatures are usually at their highest. Departments have also been told to ensure adequate rest breaks and hydration support for workers.
The Chief Minister said preventing heatstroke cases and dehydration is one of the government’s immediate priorities as Delhi enters the harshest phase of summer. The Heat Action Plan also includes measures inside schools and hospitals.
To reduce dehydration among students, the Delhi government has introduced a water bell system in schools under which children will be reminded at regular intervals to drink water. Outdoor assemblies and outdoor student activities during peak afternoon hours have also been stopped.
On the healthcare front, officials said more than 339 health centres across Delhi have been stocked with extra ORS, ice packs, and essential medicines for treating heat exhaustion and dehydration. Special cool rooms have also been prepared in health facilities for heatstroke patients.
The Government has additionally accelerated the installation of water coolers and drinking water dispensers in public offices and government buildings.
