Delhi weather: As Delhi grapples with its harsh winter, those working through the night— security guards, police personnel, and gig workers—are left to endure the biting cold without even the most basic amenities. These essential workers, who ensure the safety, security, and convenience of others, face neglect from authorities, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and employers.
During interviews with Patriot, night workers from different sectors opened up about their experiences braving Delhi’s freezing nights. Security guards highlighted the lack of heating facilities, while police personnel and delivery workers detailed the unique challenges they face in coping with the harsh winter.
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Guards’ struggle in residential colonies
Speaking to Patriot, Sarfaraz Khan, a night guard from Bihar working in a residential colony at CR Park, shared his struggles.
“My shift begins at 7 PM daily, and after 10 PM, the temperature drops significantly. This leaves me in a miserable condition, making it challenging to complete my shift. Winter is the worst season for night guards as we cannot even light fires to keep warm because residents complain about pollution,” Khan said.
Despite repeated requests to RWA members, no electric heater or any other facility has been provided to him.
“People do not understand that we are also human beings, and these bone chilling winds can even kill a person,” Khan added.
When asked why he doesn’t buy a heater himself, Khan paused and said, “If I buy a heater, I won’t be able to buy bread for my family. I only earn Rs 10,000.”
Another security guard, Ramprasad, earns Rs 11,000 per month. Sitting outside his guard room in Lajpat Nagar, which lacked even a basic electricity connection, Ramprasad shared his struggles: “I pay Rs 4,000 as rent and send money back home. After that, barely anything is left for me. Burning wood used to be affordable, but how can I buy an electric heater?”
Pointing to his unlit guard room, he added, “Even if I somehow manage to save for a heater, I can’t use it—there’s no electricity.”
Most security guards in the city are migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Nepal. They are typically hired on contracts through service providers by RWAs.
“We are watchmen and we guard people, but they have to understand that we are not dogs—we are human beings, we deserve better,” Ramprasad added.
Regulating traffic, managing law & order
Throughout the winter season, police officers on night duty must assist the public regardless of the city’s harsh weather conditions, while receiving little to no support from the department.
According to a police official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, “We have to serve the public of the national capital despite the bone-chilling weather.”
“Open burning is not allowed in the city, so we cannot do anything to keep warm. We can’t carry heaters when we’re on vehicle checking duty. We have to stand the whole night in the freezing cold without any additional amenities,” he said.
Another police official, who was shivering while checking vehicles at midnight in South Delhi, said, “We have only jackets and shawls to protect ourselves. Apart from this, we get no other support from the department. There is no electricity connection on the roads, and open burning is prohibited. But we have no choice as we must fulfil our duty.”
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Plight of gig workers
Ashutosh Singh, a gig worker who had just arrived at a Rajouri Garden restaurant at 11 pm to collect a food order, said they must work despite harsh weather conditions to earn their livelihood.
When asked about support from food service aggregator platforms, Singh said, “No extra charges or incentives are provided for working in the freezing cold at night. These companies only care about making money, not about us.”
“Not even a single jacket has been provided by these platforms to their riders. We even have to buy gloves ourselves,” he added.
Sonu Kumar, another gig worker sitting near the tandoor of a restaurant to keep warm, claimed that restaurant owners sometimes allow them to sit inside while the order is prepared. However, this respite is rare.
“Some restaurant owners allow us to rest inside, but not all are the same. Sometimes we have to wait outside in the bone-chilling cold for half an hour,” Kumar said.
He added, “Restaurant owners should understand that we are human beings too. They should create a space for gig workers to rest while orders are prepared. A significant portion of their earnings comes from food delivery platforms, yet they are unwilling to spend even a minimal amount to accommodate us.”
