Migrant workers and their families, street vendors, gig workers, domestic help and many more—where do these people figure in city heat mitigation measures? India’s heat action plans (HAPs) are falling short where it matters most. About 95% lack vulnerability assessments, leaving communities ill-prepared for rising temperatures, reveals a Centre for Policy Research study. Most plans fail to account for local contexts, oversimplify the hazards, and overlook the most at-risk populations. Bengaluru does not even have a heat action plan.
In 2024, architect and climate researcher Ujjvala Krishna, along with other experts from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and the Initiative for Climate Action, conducted ward-level systems research in Bengaluru’s Marappanapalya. Their study aimed to equip urban planners and policymakers with localised insights, engaging directly with communities and infrastructure at risk. By focusing on the smallest urban administrative unit (the ward), the team developed targeted strategies to enhance heat resilience.
In this interview, Ujjvala emphasises mapping heat stress vulnerability to guide priorities and shares simple local measures for cities to beat the heat.
Urban planning and local measures
Is urban planning in our cities currently equipped to address heat stress in the long term? If not, what needs to change?
Not at all. The biggest challenge in Bengaluru is that the city does not have a master plan except for a Draft Master Plan for 2031. Though it is still not in effect, the land use pattern just defines what a certain parcel of land can have—either a commercial, industrial or residential building, nothing more. Urban planning does have the potential to address heat stress. The problem lies in the materials we use for construction, so the solution will be to transform the built environment.
Having building regulations that allow good ventilation, using low-heat-gain materials for the construction of roads, buildings and pavements and having enough green cover can mitigate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. If we immediately start changing this up, we will see temperature differences.
The call for a master plan is not just for what’s already built, but also for what is going to be built. We know our cities are growing. So, a master plan is very important for newer areas as well.
Hyperlocal mitigation
How could local heat assessment and actions on local levels help? Are our cities doing it right?
Addressing heat locally is important because it affects you at the microclimate level. Because how I experience heat will be different from how someone 50 metres away experiences it, based on the surrounding conditions, environment, built material and roofing. Rather than focusing on the city, assessing heat at the neighbourhood or ward level is crucial. There is a need for a city heat action plan, and it should categorise different areas and wards based on various factors influencing heat gain. By addressing all relevant variables, the plan can develop targeted solutions.
Also, building capacity at a ward level is essential. A single fire station in Yeshwanthpur caters to a large area, with fire incidents reaching 40–50 cases each summer. Garbage catches fire easily during this season. To address such risks effectively, capacity building must be implemented at the ward level in fire stations, healthcare centres, etc. By understanding the population in each ward, we can build capacity accordingly, making localised heat action plans more effective.
Read more: Scorching streets: Understanding urban heat islands in Bengaluru’s market areas
Inclusivity in heat action plans
How can the voices of those most affected by climate change be incorporated in mitigation plans?
We can include the voices of those most affected by climate change by creating a vulnerability matrix. Street vendors, pourakarmikas, auto drivers and gig workers spend a lot of time outdoors during periods of extreme heat, so they automatically become more susceptible. They have less access to water, shaded areas and resting spots. Their work doesn’t allow for a rest period. A vulnerability matrix will give you a detailed understanding of who is most vulnerable. And then, of course, you provide and cater to their needs first, because that’s how the city’s infrastructure should be built.
Research and Engagement for Climate Action in Marappanapalya Ward, ATREE
How can ward-level heat action plans ensure inclusivity for vulnerable groups like street vendors, slum dwellers, and construction workers?
Street vendors, construction workers and other outdoor workers cannot avoid working during peak hours (as suggested by government advisories) because those are the hours their work is most profitable. Even affording a single umbrella for their store is an expense that they won’t be able to recover, especially when their business is already affected because of the heat. Unfortunately, they don’t have the monetary backing to be able to survive even small changes in temperature.
Municipal corporations can introduce temporary solutions at low cost, such as tarpaulin coverings on top for shade, having spots for water dispensers, creating designated shaded areas, at subsidised costs or with incentives. Last year, one of the urban primary health centres in the Marappanapalya Ward had a water dispensing unit with an ORS station. But, solutions like this must be standardised and their impact measured, so that such solutions can be scaled up.
How ward-level heat stress assessments help
What is the Marappanapalya Ward study about, and what are its findings?
Our study was not solution-oriented; we wanted to understand heat stress from a systemic lens. So, we tried to see how heat stress is affecting, say, the water system, electricity, and how heat is affecting livelihoods. It gave us a lot of ideas in terms of what the solutions could be, because we understood the problems better.
Each ward in our cities is different. For instance, Marappanapalya is heterogeneous, with a large industrial area, different types of residential neighbourhoods and densely populated settlements. There are informal settlements that face the dual threat of being located at the lowest points in the ward, increasing their flooding risk.
Also, the built environment is key to understanding how heat stress affects us, which is why a localised study and analysis of heat stress is important in our cities.
Read more: From industrial boom to heat doom: Peenya’s struggle with rising urban temperature
Best practices and citizens involvement
Can you mention some best practices from across the country/world that could be implemented in our cities?
In Pondicherry, green nets are used as shades at traffic signals. Since commuters spend a minute or two at each signal—and pass through multiple junctions—the heat can lead to dehydration. Implementing solutions like these is both efficient and cost-effective. Telangana has a cool roof policy. At a household level, there are many roofing ideas, like placing water-filled PET bottles on the roof, rooftop gardening, using white paints on the roofs, etc.
But these solutions mainly suit brick-and-concrete homes with flat roofs, not tin-roofed houses. A more inclusive cool roof policy is essential, and simple, cost-effective designs like the Neralu heat shelters can help reduce heat stress.
Neralu heat shelter is a winning design in a contest held by ATREE in collaboration with Azim Premji Foundation and Wipro Foundation. Designed by architects Sagar and Ankrtiya, it is a light, easily scalable roadside heat shelter. The People First Cities Initiative by Purpose is collaborating with the designers to bring it to life.
How can Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) or citizen groups contribute to making neighbourhoods more heat-resilient?
Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) often function in an exclusionary manner, which needs to change. Simple measures, such as providing shade or rest stops for delivery personnel within apartment complexes and housing layouts, can make a difference. Additionally, increasing green cover can have a positive impact on the neighbourhood.
Reusing treated water could bring change at the city level. Many people in informal settlements struggle with inadequate water supply and are forced to pay high prices for water, often making it difficult for them to stay adequately hydrated. Using treated water could help ease this burden, ensuring the urban poor have access to a sufficient water supply.
Without inclusive, data-driven approaches and capacity building at the ward level, our cities will continue to fall short in protecting their most at-risk residents from the growing threat of climate change.