Amid sweltering heat Noida authority brings up shelter home, new work hours

Working hours for labourers and employees engaged in outdoor duties have also been changed, in the light of rising temperatures in the district

NOIDA: With temperatures soaring and intense heat wave gripping the National Capital Region, the Noida authority has come up with various measures such as setting up shelter home for the homeless, introducing new working hours for its outdoor workers and putting up earthen pots at different places of the city.

The shelter home was opened on Thursday for the destitute at Sector 21A near Noida Stadium and can serve around 60 people. (HT Photo)

Among the latest steps, the authority opened a shelter home on Thursday for the destitute at Sector 21A near Noida Stadium. Equipped with basic amenities, the facility is intended to serve around 60 people amid the scorching heat, officials said on Thursday.

Moreover, working hours for labourers and employees engaged in outdoor duties have also been changed, in the light of rising temperatures in the Gautam Budh Nagar district, they said.

Besides, Noida traffic police, and Noida authority have jointly arranged drinking water in earthen pots in different parts of the city and green nets have been also placed at major traffic signals for some relief for commuters from heat, the officials informed.

“Due to the intense heat and rising temperatures which are expected to further increase in the coming days, the Noida authority has set up a shelter home for the destitute to provide them shelter amid adverse weather conditions, said Noida authority’s chief executive officer Lokesh M.

“The facility has been equipped with the basic amenities such as clean drinking water, and with space for resting for the destitute, daily wagers, among others in need, and it can accommodate 50-60 people,” he shared.

The shelter home is functional and open to people such as destitute, daily wagers, among others in need, who can take rest there during the day’s peak hours especially, when the heat is intense, officials said.

Additionally, the authority has modified working hours for employees engaged in development and maintenance work of various departments in Noida authority, in a bid to provide relief to workers/employees amid heatwave conditions in the Delhi-NCR.

“First shift of the employees engaged in outdoor duties will commence from 6am while timings for workers, labourers engaged in construction works at sites and employees in the civil, water and electricity departments, will be from 6am to 10am. The second shift will be from 4pm to 8pm,” said an official.

Earlier, these workers used to report on duties from 9am to 5pm.

The sanitation workers deployed under Noida authority jurisdiction will report to duties from 6 am to 12 pm”, according to officials.

Moreover, the Noida traffic police, and the authority have jointly arranged drinking water in earthen pots in parts of the city and green nets have also come up at traffic signals like Noida Special Economic Zone, Pari Chowk, Yamaha T Point, Kisan Chowk among other crossings.

It’s intended to offer some relief to traffic personnel and commuters in heat, said officials.

On Thursday, the maximum temperature of Gautam Budh Nagar was recorded at 44 degrees Celsius while minimum temperature was recorded at 29 degrees Celsius, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The Delhi-NCR on Wednesday witnessed mild showers and the region is likely to witness thunderstorms/dust storms on June 1 or 2 with a western disturbance approaching, as per the information from weather experts.