Bengaluru used to be famous for its pleasant weather, and now, the city’s getting hotter every year thanks to all the new buildings, shrinking parks, and concrete spreading everywhere. The India Meteorological Department says average temperatures in Indian cities have risen between 0.6°C and 1°C over the last hundred years, but it’s worse in crowded urban areas, and heat islands in Bengaluru can be 2°C to 5°C warmer than the countryside nearby.

One study from the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy puts Bengaluru in the moderate heat risk category, but the real concern is exposure, tons of people and workers face these rising temperatures head-on. Globally, experts from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group singled out local neighborhoods like Peenya, Hennur, and Nagawara as new heat hotspots. That’s a wake-up call: Bengaluru needs to tackle urban heat, fast, or its tech powerhouse image is going to feel the burn.

Who Faces the Greatest Risk?

The impact of increasing temperatures is not shared equally. Figures indicate that nearly 44% of Bengaluru’s workforce works in outdoor occupations, which makes them highly susceptible to the effects of increasing temperatures.

The Hasiru Dala team, based on their observations in the field, indicates an alarming trend:

• More than 73% of waste workers continue to work during peak hours of the day.
• Nearly 92% of them have direct health issues because of the impact of increasing temperatures.
• The most common complaints include fatigue, dehydration, dizziness, and reduced productivity.

Traffic police, for example, have to stand for long hours in a row, exposed to increasing temperatures and vehicular pollution. Similarly, construction workers have to face the impact of increasing temperatures and dust, which exposes them to respiratory problems and physical fatigue.

Also Read: Reduced Physical Activity Due to Global Heating Will Lead to Rise in Health Issues, Study Says

Why Heat Islands Are Intensifying

The increase in heat islands in Bengaluru has been significant due to the structural and environmental changes made in the city. Urban heat is not a new phenomenon; however, it has become increasingly exacerbated by heat absorption from large buildings, engines, and other sources that absorb and retain heat.

For example, Peenya (a very large industrial area) experiences tremendous heat from all of the industrial machinery, concrete surfaces, and a lack of tree cover. Hennur and Nagawara are two rapidly urbanizing areas that do not have adequate vegetation and green buffers, therefore creating another “urban heat trap“.

Also Read: Humid Heatwaves Intensifying Across India, Scientists Find

Health and Safety Implications

The health hazards posed by urban heat are becoming more obvious. The data collected from the National Crime Records Bureau states:

• 730 deaths caused by heat/sunstroke in 2022
• 374 deaths caused by heat/sunstroke in 2021
• 530 deaths caused by heat/sunstroke in 2020

The figures only indicate a fraction of the total number of deaths caused by urban heat, as many cases of heat-related diseases go untreated.

The industrial area in Nayandahalli has witnessed cases of extreme indoor heat, which results in:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Severe dehydrating effects
• Fatigue and tiredness

Also Read: World Sees Hottest Decade On Record, UN Confirms

Role of Urbanisation and Infrastructure Gaps

An increase in unplanned urbanization and density has led to more heat retention in the city of Bangalore. The addition of roads, flyover systems, and commercial buildings has eliminated natural land surfaces and replaced these surfaces with heat-retaining materials.

In addition to the lack of cooling materials, the lack of human climate-sensitive infrastructure also exacerbates extreme heat levels, including pathways that provide shade for people, ventilated workspaces, and cooling areas.

Also Read: Climate Warning: The Past 10 Years Are The Hottest On Record

Gaps in Urban Preparedness

While there has been an increase in awareness, Bengaluru’s preparedness for managing heat stress remains low.

Several gaps have been identified by authorities in Bengaluru, which include:

• Lack of specific cooling centers for informal workers
• Implementation of policies in practice
• Coordination of funds allocated to different agencies
• Absence of real-time response to heat waves

Also Read: WMO Confirms 2025 Among Top Three Hottest Years In History

The Way Forward: Building a Heat Resilient City

To address this, both short-term and long-term solutions can be implemented. Short-term measures can be:

• Establishing temporary cool shelters in high-risk areas
• Providing free drinking water facilities
• Modifying working hours to avoid the heat

In the long term, the focus should be on urban planning. This can be done by:

• Increasing green spaces through tree plantation drives
• Encouraging cool roofs and the use of reflective surfaces
• Incorporating heat resilience into city policies

In this context, the role of organizations such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is seen to be important.

Also Read: New Study Shows Global Warming Speeding Up Over The Last Decade

A Call for Urgent, Inclusive Action

Labourers and traffic employees are most affected by the intensifying heat islands in Bengaluru, revealing a significant disparity in how citizens across the city’s regions experience the impacts of climate change.

Therefore, it is vital that protecting the most at-risk workers (the labour force) becomes a focus for all urban planning processes through climate-resilient planning. Protecting these workers is not only a policy issue, but a matter of public health and social justice for all.

Also Read: Warming Climate Fuels Higher Urban Tropospheric Ozone Pollution

FAQs

1. What are urban heat islands?

Urban heat islands refer to areas in which cities have higher temperatures compared to the surrounding rural areas.

2. Why are laborers more affected by heat islands in Bengaluru?

Laborers are more affected because they work outdoors for long hours and have less access to shaded areas, water, and rest.

3. How can Bengaluru mitigate the effects of urban heat islands?

The city can do this by increasing the amount of green spaces, cool roofs, and shaded areas.

Also Read: How Indian Cities Are Becoming Heat Islands: What The Data Is Quietly, Relentlessly Showing