Bengaluru’s Gig Workers: A Call for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
Extreme weather events have historically impacted marginalized and low-income workers the most, making their jobs even more difficult. As Bengaluru braces for a scorching summer, it’s crucial to consider how these conditions will affect gig workers, particularly delivery personnel and ride-hailing drivers. According to a Karnataka government report, the gig economy in Bengaluru has surged, with nearly 200,000 gig workers supporting various delivery platforms. These workers have become essential to the city’s daily operations.
Despite being marketed as flexible, modern employment, gig work often involves long hours, low pay, and no job security. The 2024 International Labour Organization (ILO) report reveals that India’s gig economy is expanding not due to its advantages but because stable salaried jobs are in short supply. Platform companies offer little support, making it challenging for gig workers to sustain themselves after exhausting shifts. Amid growing concerns about workers’ rights, one critical issue remains largely ignored—the effects of climate change.
With climate change intensifying extreme weather, such as heatwaves, it’s essential to examine how these conditions affect gig workers, particularly in delivery and transport jobs. The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and HeatWatch’s August 2024 report on Hyderabad offers insights into these challenges. It highlights that many gig workers lack access to basic amenities like clean water, restrooms, or shaded areas, further exacerbating their struggles in extreme heat.
Bengaluru is facing similar infrastructure issues, with inadequate public toilets and poor sanitation. The city’s public restroom system, managed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), faces criticism for its limited availability and lack of upkeep. This leaves gig workers with little access to necessary facilities. To address this, Bengaluru must urgently implement drinking water stations, public toilets, and shaded resting areas at regular intervals, ensuring they are properly maintained.
The TGPWU and HeatWatch report proposes several measures, including drinking water stations, clean public toilets every two kilometers, and designated resting areas with cooling facilities. It also advocates for better medical care, climate warning systems, protective gear, and access to health insurance. Special attention is needed for women gig workers, who face additional challenges in navigating unsafe infrastructure.
As Bengaluru continues to grow as a hub for gig work, it must address the intersection of climate change, infrastructure, and workers’ rights. The Karnataka government has already proposed a welfare fund for gig workers and is considering insurance schemes, but these steps alone are insufficient. Policymakers, platform companies, and urban planners must prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure and improved working conditions to ensure the sustainability and inclusivity of urban life for all workers.
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