Installation of cool and green roofs in residential and public buildings; setting up more hydration points and public toilets; exploring revival of traditional water bodies and upgradation of weather monitoring systems — these are among the highlights of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram’s (MCG) Rs 5-crore plan that aims to tackle urban heat in Gurgaon, said officials.
The civic body on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) to mitigate the growing impact of extreme heat and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which refers to significantly higher temperatures in cities as compared to nearby rural areas.
Gurgaon is among 12 cities selected for a pilot project – ‘Heat Resilient Cities’ — under the Centre’s AMRUT 2.0 reforms, with each of them backed by a Rs 5 crore grant from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). To be implemented over a 15-month period, the primary objective of the project is to enable cities to become heat-resilient, climate-responsive, and inclusive through evidence-based planning and direct, on-ground interventions, officials said.
The memorandum outlines specific “Climate Adaptation Measures” that the MCG must undertake.
MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said the initiative will play an important role in making the city more capable of dealing with the effects of climate change, as well as improving the standard of living for citizens. “Through scientific data, modern technology, innovation, and public participation, the path to reducing the impact of heat in the city and promoting sustainable development will be paved. This project is an important initiative towards preparing Gurgaon for future climate challenges,” he said.
Under the prescribed framework, the Rs 5-crore grant will fund the installation of cool roofs and green roofs, hydration points and public toilets, and shaded public areas. The civic body is also expected to implement “Nature based Solutions,” which include reviving traditional waterbody systems and heritage campuses to naturally cool neighbourhoods.
Moreover, “Climate Mitigation Measures”, such as mapping and reducing energy demand, reducing pollution hotspots, and optimising mobility density at heat hotspots will be explored under the framework.
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Public safety protocols are also expected to see an upgrade as the framework mandates setting up monitoring stations for better weather forecasts and the issuance of public warnings, alerts, and health advisories. To handle emergencies, the plan calls for maintaining a robust healthcare system and exploring parametric insurance for vulnerable communities.
Before initiating these projects, the MCG is required to conduct a city-level baseline assessment of heat stress. This involves undertaking a UHI assessment and mapping spatial heat hotspots against vulnerability layers. The focus will be on identifying socio-economically vulnerable populations who face the highest risk of heat stress.
The civic body, as per the framework, must follow a structured, six-step process. This begins with collaborating with city-state stakeholders, including NGOs, civil society organisations, researchers, and local communities.
The MCG will then identify two to three short, medium, or long-term interventions and establish an impact assessment framework to measure data before and after the intervention is applied in chosen wards or sectors.
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Funds will be released to the civic body in milestone-based tranches, contingent upon the submission of an intervention plan and budget to the NIUA, followed by MoHUA’s approval.
Administratively, the MCG is responsible for identifying, planning, and executing the interventions. The civic body must nominate a nodal officer to ensure inter-departmental coordination and facilitate convergence with existing schemes. The NIUA will act as the overall in-charge of the pilot project, anchoring the UHI assessments, providing capacity building, and managing reporting to MoHUA.
Beyond the immediate 15-month pilot, the ultimate deliverable is a long-term “City Heat Resilience Framework and Plan”. According to the project annexure, this long-term strategy aims at “Reimagining Heat Resilient City Systems” through the lens of “Equity & Justice”.
This entails formally addressing the working conditions and entitlements for labourers operating under heat stress. Citing the plan, officials said the city’s future urban planning must integrate infrastructure retrofitting for long-term heat risk mitigation, and guarantee social security and health coverage entitlements for populations heavily exposed to extreme temperatures.
