A new report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed that over 75% of Delhi's land area experienced recurring heat stress between 2015 and 2024. The study, titled 'Making Delhi heat-resilient: a roadmap with the focus on vulnerable groups,' used Landsat data from 2015 to 2024 and Census 2011 data to identify areas where land surface temperature (LST) persistently exceeded 45 degrees Celsius.
Hottest Zones Identified
The analysis found that LST reached as high as 60.7 degrees Celsius during summer months in locations such as Indira Gandhi International Airport, unsown agricultural lands, and barren stretches. Industrial belts, dense residential neighborhoods, and unplanned settlements emerged as the city's hottest zones. Key hotspots include the Walled City and its extensions, Karol Bagh, Kashmere Gate ISBT, and Connaught Place (Inner Circle) in central Delhi. South-west, west, and north-west Delhi—with dense neighborhoods such as Uttam Nagar, Palam, Dabri, Najafgarh, Kanjhawala, Budh Vihar, Bawana, and Narela—also feature prominently.
Industrial and Residential Hotspots
Places such as Bawana Industrial Area, Sultanpur Dabas, Puth Khurd, Anand Parbat Industrial Area, Khera Kalan, Mayapuri, Libaspur, Balli Maran, Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase II, and Mundka Industrial Area are among the hotspots. Several residential areas are recording LST ranging from 44 to 50 degrees Celsius. In south Delhi, hotspots include Mahipalpur, Aya Nagar, Bhikaji Cama Place, AIIMS, RK Puram, Kotla Mubarakpur, Sarai Kale Khan, parts of Green Park and Greater Kailash, East of Kailash, and Lajpat Nagar.
New Developments Under Stress
The report noted that newly-built structures like Bharat Mandapam, the redeveloped East Kidwai Nagar housing complex, the World Trade Centre in Safdarjung, and Netaji Nagar are equally heat-stressed. It warned that as Delhi redevelops, it must ensure that new built-up areas do not trap heat but instead mitigate it.
Ward-Level Analysis
At the ward level, the report found that 153 of Delhi's 272 wards had more than 75% of their area exposed to recurring heat stress, while 82 wards had over 90% of their area under heat stress. Seventeen wards have their entire area under heat stress, including Turkman Gate, Ballimaran, Bazar Sitaram, Baljit Nagar, Babarpur, Karawal Nagar East, Bindapur, Budh Vihar, Madhu Vihar, Shiv Vihar, and Kirari Suleman Nagar.
Weakening Natural Cooling
Delhi's natural cooling systems are weakening, the study noted. Green cover reduced from 25.4% in 2014 to 14.1% in 2024, while waterbody footprints shrank from 1.3% to 0.9%. The city's ability to cool down at night—diurnal cooling—has reduced by 9%. The Yamuna river remains a heat reliever, with LST around it hovering at 33 degrees Celsius, but its impact is minimal.
Recommendations
The analysis stressed that addressing heat vulnerability requires an active management approach combining city-level infrastructural cooling strategies, such as green-blue infrastructure and cool materials, with targeted actions for vulnerable groups. It recommended that Delhi formally recognize heat as a disaster to utilize the State Disaster Response Fund for relief and mitigation. The report also urged mandating thermally efficient roofs in industrial areas and markets, which can reduce temperatures by up to 5 degrees Celsius.
