In a city where summer temperatures routinely exceed 45 degrees Celsius and concrete structures retain heat long after sundown, Gurugram has taken a significant step towards becoming more climate-resilient. The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement a Heat Resilient City project in the Millennium City, one of only 12 urban centres selected across India under a first-of-its-kind national programme.
National Programme Launch
The initiative is being led by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), which launched the Building Heat Resilient Cities programme in March 2026. Each of the 12 selected cities will receive financial support of up to Rs 5 crore to design and implement locally tailored measures to address rising temperatures and the urban heat island effect. The programme was formally launched at NIUA on March 9, 2026, followed by an expert consultation on advancing urban heat resilience on March 19.
What Makes a City Heat Resilient?
A heat-resilient city is designed to anticipate, withstand and recover from extreme heat events while protecting its most vulnerable residents. The approach combines scientific heat mapping, expansion of green cover, cool roof technologies, shaded public spaces, water conservation measures and climate-adapted urban planning within a long-term city framework. The objective is not only to reduce temperatures but also to minimise heat-related health risks, economic losses and social inequality, as informal workers, older people and low-income communities are disproportionately affected during heatwaves.
Implementation Plan
Under the MoU, experts will conduct detailed heat mapping to identify hotspots across the city where temperatures exceed normal levels. Socially and economically vulnerable populations, along with high-risk areas, will also be assessed. The findings will be used to develop a comprehensive City Heat Resilience Action Plan tailored to Gurugram's specific conditions.
MCG will implement pilot projects including the expansion of urban green cover, water conservation initiatives, installation of shaded structures in public spaces, deployment of cool roof technologies on buildings and other innovation-led interventions. The project will also develop a long-term City Heat Resilience Framework to guide future planning and policy decisions. Outcomes will be evaluated scientifically to enable lessons learned to be replicated in other cities.
Community Participation
Community participation will be central to the initiative, with MCG working alongside academic institutions, research organisations, non-governmental organisations and citizen groups. The project will be implemented in phases over 15 months, with MCG periodically submitting progress reports, impact assessments and utilisation certificates to NIUA and MoHUA.
MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said the initiative would better equip Gurugram to address the challenges of climate change while improving residents' quality of life. The leadership of Mayor Rajrani Malhotra in advancing the project was also acknowledged during the signing ceremony.
