Pune: Extreme heat is reshaping daily life in the city, clearing streets during peak afternoon hours, with people shifting work, errands and exercise to early mornings or late evenings.Tuesday emerged as the hottest day of the season so far, with the maximum temperature in Lohegaon hitting a searing 41.8°C, and Shivajinagar (39.9°C), Abhijit Modak, an independent weather forecaster, said. Koregaon Park recorded the second highest temperature in the city at 40.4°C.Event manager Bhargav Reddy, currently overseeing an outdoor setup, described the conditions as punishing. “It’s 40°C at the site right now. Workers’ pace has slowed dramatically. What would usually take a few hours is now stretching much longer, with productivity down to about 30-40%,” he said.With no cooling arrangements on site, workers are relying on whatever shade they can find. “We have shifted most of the heavy work to evening and night hours. We are also trying to help the team cope by arranging ice creams and other cold items at intervals,” Reddy said.The heat is also rewriting consumption patterns. Saili Jahagirdar, chapter head of the National Restaurant Association of India, Pune chapter, said, “Mocktails, coolers and chilled beverages are now front and centre on menus. People are choosing lighter and soothing foods, and evenings are far busier than daytime because of the heat.”Ghasem Yaskshi, owner of Goodluck Cafe, said, “Footfall has shifted significantly. We are seeing more guests only after 5pm now, while daytime business has slowed.”The hot weather is even altering how people get to work. Abhijit More from Vimannagar said he had abandoned his bike in favour of an airconditioned car. “I just need the AC now. The daytime heat is exhausting. I have also stopped jogging outdoors, something I used to do regularly,” he said.With no immediate relief in sight, the discomfort is set to continue. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast temperatures hovering between 40°C and 41°C over the next few days, with heatwave conditions likely to persist across parts of Maharashtra till April 19.
