'Cool Roofs' and Bus-Stop Sprinklers: Innovation to Fight Heat in Ahmedabad

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-05-14 18:41:24 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-09-26 21:23:40

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Ahmedabad is reeling from a heatwave, with temperatures already reaching 42 degrees Celsius, unusual for this time of year. But the city is fighting back with innovative solutions. "Cool roofs" is a new initiative to paint roofs of houses across the city with light colors to reflect the sun's rays, reducing heat absorption. Alongside this, bus stops are now equipped with sprinklers to cool down waiting passengers.

"The intent is to make the city future-ready and make it more liveable, especially in view of climate change," said Bhupendra Patel, who heads the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

Increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves are a global problem, causing thousands of deaths and harming millions of people annually. The 2013 heatwave in India killed more than 2,500 people. Scientists warn that without urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, extreme heat will increasingly threaten human health and livelihoods.

The AMC is also planning to introduce heatwave alerts, similar to weather alerts for cyclones and floods, to alert citizens well in advance. "We are working on a heatwave early warning system. It will be kicked off in the next two to three years," said Patel.

The city's eco-friendly initiatives have been applauded by Greenpeace, which said the focus should be on addressing the underlying causes of climate change by moving towards renewable energy.

"Ultimately, the only way to truly future-proof cities and protect people from the worst impacts of heatwaves is to eliminate fossil fuels and reduce emissions," said Greenpeace campaigner Akshima Patel.

As Ahmedabad battles the current heatwave, its innovative solutions are providing a blueprint for how to combat the impacts of climate change globally.

Conclusion:

"Cool roofs" and bus-stop sprinklers are helping Ahmedabad combat intense seasonal heatwaves in India. By reducing heat absorption and providing cooling relief, these initiatives are making the city more liveable and future-proofed.

Scientific warnings remind us of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a ultimate solution to prevent future heatwaves. As we battle the current heatwave, Ahmedabad's eco-friendly initiatives have provided a blueprint that can be used globally.

"We are working on a heatwave early warning system. It will be kicked off in the next two to three years," said Bhupendra Patel, heading the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

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