As the summer sun bears down relentlessly on Ahmedabad, a modest bus stop in the city’s centre has become an unexpected sanctuary.
Outfitted with straw mats and overhead sprinklers, the stop gently showers waiting passengers with a cool mist — offering rare relief from the searing heat that has pushed temperatures well past 42°C (107°F) in early May.
The 25-meter-long stretch now draws commuters not only for transportation, but for a moment of comfort. Water trickling through straw mats cools incoming hot air, while the misting system above helps people beat the heat — if only briefly.
Among those grateful for the change is 20-year-old Mayank Yadav, who uses the local buses to commute through the city’s simmering streets.
“Everyone is suffering from the heat,” he told news agency AP. “I hope they do more of this across the city.”
Others echoed the sentiment. Ratilal Bhoire, 77, said he remembers a time when Ahmedabad summers were harsh but manageable. Today, he says, “when nothing like this was here, it was really hot. What they’ve done is really good. Senior citizens like me can get some cooling from the heat.”
City officials say the pilot project is already making a difference and will be expanded to other locations soon. For many, such interventions offer more than comfort — they offer safety, especially as heatwaves grow longer and more dangerous.
A city that learned the hard way
Ahmedabad’s heat preparedness didn’t come overnight. In 2010, a brutal heatwave killed over 1,300 people, prompting the city to take urgent action. Three years later, it rolled out South Asia’s first heat action plan — a blueprint for how cities can protect people when temperatures spike.
Now emulated across India and the region, the plan includes early warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and emergency protocols for hospitals and local governments. Officials say it has helped save hundreds of lives each year.
Dr. Tejas Shah, who oversees the plan for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, said climate change has made such measures not only necessary, but urgent.
“We are in the period of climate change, and it has already shown its effect,” Shah said. “It [the heat] needs to be addressed in the proper way.”
Low-cost fixes, life-saving results
Alongside the misting bus stop, the city has deployed another simple but powerful tool — reflective paint. In low-income neighbourhoods filled with tin-roofed homes, hundreds of rooftops have been coated with white or silver paint that reflects sunlight and keeps interiors significantly cooler.
Akashbhai Thakor, who lives with his wife and infant in one such home, said the change was immediate.
“Earlier, it was really difficult to sleep inside the house,” he said. “After the roof was painted, the house is much cooler, especially at night.”
The cool roof initiative is part of an ongoing research project tracking the effects of passive cooling. According to Priya Bhavsar of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, such inexpensive solutions are crucial for vulnerable communities.
“People like Akashbhai often have no insulation, no air conditioning, and still have to go out and work every day,” Bhavsar said. “Cool roofs can be the only respite.”
For garment factory worker Veer Vanzara, whose workplace lacks even basic ventilation, the change at home has made a noticeable difference. “The evenings and night are much cooler than before inside our house,” he said.
With at least three months of intense heat still ahead, these efforts are helping Ahmedabad’s residents not just endure the summer — but survive it.
(With inputs from AP)
Outfitted with straw mats and overhead sprinklers, the stop gently showers waiting passengers with a cool mist — offering rare relief from the searing heat that has pushed temperatures well past 42°C (107°F) in early May.
The 25-meter-long stretch now draws commuters not only for transportation, but for a moment of comfort. Water trickling through straw mats cools incoming hot air, while the misting system above helps people beat the heat — if only briefly.
Among those grateful for the change is 20-year-old Mayank Yadav, who uses the local buses to commute through the city’s simmering streets.
“Everyone is suffering from the heat,” he told news agency AP. “I hope they do more of this across the city.”
Others echoed the sentiment. Ratilal Bhoire, 77, said he remembers a time when Ahmedabad summers were harsh but manageable. Today, he says, “when nothing like this was here, it was really hot. What they’ve done is really good. Senior citizens like me can get some cooling from the heat.”
City officials say the pilot project is already making a difference and will be expanded to other locations soon. For many, such interventions offer more than comfort — they offer safety, especially as heatwaves grow longer and more dangerous.
A city that learned the hard way
Ahmedabad’s heat preparedness didn’t come overnight. In 2010, a brutal heatwave killed over 1,300 people, prompting the city to take urgent action. Three years later, it rolled out South Asia’s first heat action plan — a blueprint for how cities can protect people when temperatures spike.Now emulated across India and the region, the plan includes early warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and emergency protocols for hospitals and local governments. Officials say it has helped save hundreds of lives each year.
Dr. Tejas Shah, who oversees the plan for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, said climate change has made such measures not only necessary, but urgent.
“We are in the period of climate change, and it has already shown its effect,” Shah said. “It [the heat] needs to be addressed in the proper way.”
Low-cost fixes, life-saving results
Alongside the misting bus stop, the city has deployed another simple but powerful tool — reflective paint. In low-income neighbourhoods filled with tin-roofed homes, hundreds of rooftops have been coated with white or silver paint that reflects sunlight and keeps interiors significantly cooler.Akashbhai Thakor, who lives with his wife and infant in one such home, said the change was immediate.
“Earlier, it was really difficult to sleep inside the house,” he said. “After the roof was painted, the house is much cooler, especially at night.”
The cool roof initiative is part of an ongoing research project tracking the effects of passive cooling. According to Priya Bhavsar of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, such inexpensive solutions are crucial for vulnerable communities.
“People like Akashbhai often have no insulation, no air conditioning, and still have to go out and work every day,” Bhavsar said. “Cool roofs can be the only respite.”
For garment factory worker Veer Vanzara, whose workplace lacks even basic ventilation, the change at home has made a noticeable difference. “The evenings and night are much cooler than before inside our house,” he said.
With at least three months of intense heat still ahead, these efforts are helping Ahmedabad’s residents not just endure the summer — but survive it.
(With inputs from AP)
