PLAN THEM COOL

As urban India turns into a heat trap, the government must focus on improving cities' liveability

- RAJNEESH SAREEN, MITASHI SINGH

CITIES ARE fast becoming hotspots for environmental action. As they grow to cater to the needs of the expanding urban population, there is an increase in motorisation, concretisation, proliferation of slums and shrinking green and blue spaces. In a warming world, cities suffer due to the urban heat island effect, flooding, water scarcity, improper solid waste management, pollution of air and water and overall deteriorating liveability.

The Centre has taken measures to combat these impacts. For instance, Union Budget 2024-25 allocated ₹10,400 crore for the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission; ₹21,336 crore for metro rail projects; ₹5,000 crore for the Swachh Bharat Mission; and ₹80,761 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The 15th Finance Commission of India and the National Clean Air Programme have also proposed more funds to urban local bodies to tackle some problems.

However, action so far has been slow and is not quite outcome-oriented. Sustainable growth of cities needs measurable indicators that bring tangible results:

HOUSING SUPPORT

PMAY or the Housing for All mission has led to the development of millions of affordable housing units. However, these units may not provide thermal comfort, given the lack of criteria for thermal performance. This is confirmed in a 2021 study by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The Affordable Rental Housing Complexes scheme, a sub-program under PMAY introduced in 2020, comes with great opportunity to align the rental housing stock with national thermal comfort goals. Provisions of the scheme, such as the technology innovation grant to facilitate adoption of innovative, sustainable, green and disaster-resilient technologies and building materials, must be linked to better thermal performance.