Delhi stayed under strong heat on Saturday as the temperature remained much higher than normal in many parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said no official heatwave was marked during the day, but the heat alert for Delhi will stay active till May 28.

The weather office said the maximum temperature for Saturday may go up to 44 degrees Celsius. Many areas in the capital have already seen very high daytime heat over the last few days.

Safdarjung, the city’s main weather centre, recorded a maximum temperature of 43.3 degrees Celsius on Friday. This was around three degrees higher than normal. The minimum temperature settled at 29.3 degrees Celsius.

Ridge became the hottest part of Delhi after recording 44.4 degrees Celsius. Palam, Lodhi Road and Ayanagar also saw temperatures crossing 43 degrees Celsius.

Weather experts said hot and dry winds coming from the Thar Desert pushed the temperature higher across north India.

Mahesh Palawat from Skymet Weather said winds from Rajasthan made the air very dry, leading to a sharp rise in daytime heat. He also said the wind direction has changed slightly, which helped bring a small drop in temperature on Friday.

Light thunderstorm activity may happen in some areas due to a weather system near Pakistan and parts of Punjab and Haryana. Still, experts said people should not expect major relief from the heat soon.

Palawat warned that Delhi may soon record temperatures close to 45 degrees Celsius. He added that the hot spell may continue till the end of May.

Some relief may arrive in early June when pre-monsoon rain activity starts in north India.

Delhi’s air quality stayed in the “moderate” category on Friday evening. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 183.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Thursday that people can once again apply for new ration cards in the capital after a gap of nearly 13 years. The fresh application system became active from May 15.

During a media briefing at the Delhi Secretariat, she asked low-income families to submit forms through the e-District website. She said the main aim is to make sure food support reaches families that need it the most.

The government has also reopened old pending files. Applicants whose forms were left incomplete in past years can now update their papers and upload fresh documents before sending the forms again.

After reviewing the ration system, Delhi Government officials found a large number of invalid names in records. According to official figures, more than 7.71 lakh names were removed during the checking drive.

Officials said over 6.46 lakh people did not match the income rules set for ration benefits. Around 95,000 card holders had not collected ration for over a year. Records also showed names of dead people and duplicate beneficiaries in several cases.

With these names removed, close to 7.72 lakh new spots are now free for eligible families.

The government shared that over 3.72 lakh requests for new ration cards and nearly 99,500 applications for adding family members are still waiting for clearance. Since many of these requests are old, people will now need to file forms again under the latest rules.

Rekha Gupta said Delhi has started work under the Delhi Food Security Rules, 2026 linked to the National Food Security Act, 2013. Several changes have also been made in ration shops to reduce fraud cases.

Electronic weighing machines are now being placed at fair-price shops in place of old machines. Fingerprint-based checking has also been made compulsory while giving ration to card holders.

The Chief Minister said all ration card work can now be completed online. This covers new applications along with adding or removing names from family records. People may also visit nearby service centres for help.

Under the updated process, applicants must submit Aadhaar cards, address proof, fresh income papers and Aadhaar details of all family members. Officials said stricter document checking will help stop fake entries.

Applications will pass through many levels before approval. Food and Supply Officers will first examine the forms online. Field visits may also take place in some cases. Assistant Commissioners will then review the checked forms before a district committee led by the District Magistrate gives final approval. Approved ration cards will later be downloaded online.

Rekha Gupta also said the yearly income limit for getting ration cards has already gone up from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.20 lakh. The government is now discussing another increase to nearly Rs. 2.5 lakh so more families can come under the food scheme.

Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said earlier governments had slowed down the ration card system for many years. He claimed this had stopped many needy families from getting food benefits.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday that over 8.4 lakh women across the capital have got Pink Saheli Smart Cards for free travel in DTC buses.

The card uses National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) tap-and-go service. Women and transgender passengers can travel without paying fare on buses run by the Delhi Transport Corporation.

Gupta shared that 8,40,618 cards had been issued till May 18. She said pink paper tickets are still being accepted along with the smart cards at present. Later, the free ride plan will run only through the smart card system.

She said the large number of card users shows that more women are now choosing buses for daily travel in Delhi.

The Delhi government is also working on digital transport services to make bus travel safer and easier for passengers. Officials say these systems can help keep records clear and improve day-to-day work.