Guwahati: Areas along the rapidly expanding city are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme heat, owing to dense construction, widening road networks and declining green cover. Several parts of the city are also turning into continuous heat-stressed zones.
Study Highlights Urban Heat Effects
A recent report prepared by the directorate of town and country planning, named ‘Urban Heat Effects in Assam’, highlighted that neighbourhoods connected by the GS Road corridor, Guwahati Bypass and the highway stretch have witnessed significant urban expansion over the last five years (2020-25). What were once isolated pockets facing heat waves are now becoming larger corridors of rising temperature. These corridors stretch across the southern and central parts of the city.
“Satellite data from the Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 thermal sensors for the years 2020 and 2025, along with Sentinel-2 imagery, were used to analyse land-use and land-cover changes and assess variations in land surface temperature for the study area,” said Kunal Kumar Borah, co-author of the study.
Sharpest Increase in Critical Heat Stress
The study found that Wards 6 and 23, under Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), recorded the sharpest increase in thermal conditions over the 2020-2025 period, moving directly from the moderate category to the critical heat-stressed category. The change points to a rapid increase in built-up surface and a simultaneous decline in natural cooling elements such as vegetation and open spaces.
Traditional Cooling Systems Under Threat
The report notes that Guwahati’s traditional cooling systems – the Brahmaputra, the Deepor Beel wetland and the city’s network of hills and forests – are keeping temperatures moderate in some areas. However, the cooling influences are increasingly squeezed by urban expansion.
Urban planners have recommended an urgent focus on protecting wetlands, riverbanks and green corridors before the city’s landscape becomes extremely heated.
Recommendations for Mitigation
Chetan Sodaye, the project planning officer from CITIIS (City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain initiative), said, “For densely built neighbourhoods in the southern and central parts of Guwahati, widespread adoption of cool roofs that use reflective materials to reduce heat absorption is necessary. Shaded bus stops, markets and public spaces are also suggested to protect residents from direct exposure during extreme heat events.”
He added that another major recommendation in the study is the development of sponge parks and ecological retention landscapes in low-lying and flood-prone areas. These green spaces can simultaneously manage stormwater and lower surrounding temperatures. The report also calls for the preservation of natural ventilation corridors linked to rivers and open spaces to maintain airflow across the city.
Adopting the 3-30-300 Greening Principle
The study recommends adopting a ‘3-30-300’ greening principle, under which every resident must be able to see three trees, neighbourhoods must aim for 30% tree canopy cover, and everyone must live within 300 metres of a quality green space.
About the Author: Tathagata Bhattacharjee is based in Guwahati and with over a year of experience, he covers topics related to civic issues, environment, and government policy in the Northeast region. He is known for reporting on regional developments and social issues.
