Heatwave Brings Unexpected Benefits to City Life

In a surprising turn of events, the recent heatwave has brought about some unexpected benefits to city life. The scorching conditions have resulted in smoother traffic, fewer mosquitoes, and a decline in viral infections.

Smooth Traffic

The searing heat has altered the city’s peak traffic hours, with most office-bound traffic now over by 9.30am. This shift has resulted in emptier roads for the rest of the day. “Earlier, the morning peak office hour traffic would last up to 11. That isn’t the case on most thoroughfares now,” said a senior police officer. As a result, many people are hitting the road quite early in the day to avoid the heat, leading to less congestion during the usual peak hours.

Missing Sting

Residents have reported a noticeable decrease in mosquitoes. Arnab Mondal, a resident of Naktala, noted that the “sting armies” were missing for most of April. Debashis Biswas, chief vector control officer of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, attributed this to the absence of accumulated water, which is necessary for the breeding of mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi, which cause dengue and malaria respectively.

Virus Recedes

Doctors have also observed a decline in viral infections. Chandramouli Bhattacharya, an infectious diseases specialist, suggested that some viruses may not thrive in this heat. He also pointed out that the early onset of summer vacation in schools has contributed to this dip in viral infections, as schools are often hubs for the spread of such infections.

While these unexpected benefits have been a silver lining to the heatwave, residents are reminded to stay hydrated and take necessary precautions to stay safe in the scorching conditions.