Rajasthan boils: Jaipur sees hottest morning of season, Sriganganagar at 49.4°C remains hottest in the country

JAIPUR: The relentless heat wave across Rajasthan reached alarming levels Friday, with Jaipur experiencing its hottest morning of the season, recording a minimum temperature of 33.6°C.

Sriganganagar continued to take the grim title of the hottest place in the country, where temperatures soared to a scorching 49.4°C.As the mercury climbed, Jaipur's streets became eerily deserted during the sweltering afternoon hours, with the maximum temperature hitting 44.5°C, which was a staggering 4.4°C above the normal levels. The extreme heat led to significant challenges for residents, particularly in terms of access to drinking water and electricity.

Many localities in Jaipur faced severe water shortages, while abrupt power cuts plagued various areas due to the overstressed power supply systems.

The Meteorological department warned that there was no immediate relief in sight, with predictions indicating continued high temperatures in the coming days. However, in a brief respite, mild showers were reported in certain areas of the city, including Viswakarama Industrial Area and Harmada.

Anti-smog guns were also deployed, sprinkling water on the streets in the Walled City till 5pm in the evening.In response to the crisis, local market associations stepped up efforts to provide drinking water for pedestrians and shoppers. Mohammed Zakaria, a councillor in Jaipur Municipal Corporation (Heritage), said, “In order to ensure drinking water is available for people on the roads, we have made it available outside every temple and mosque in our area so that people may not face any problem while in the markets.”Businesses in the Walled City were severely impacted, with many shopkeepers, like Ramesh Jhalani from Haldiyon Ka Rasta, opting to close their shops early due to a lack of customers. “These days, since no customers are coming, we prefer to go home in the afternoon,” he stated.The heat wave was not confined to Jaipur; cities such as Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh and Sangariya also saw a similar pattern, with civic authorities working to mitigate the effects by sprinkling water on the streets.Looking ahead, the Met office forecasts the possibility of mild showers in parts of the state on Saturday, particularly in Bharatpur, Udaipur and Kota divisions.