Urban Heat Island Effect Making Indian Cities Hotter Than Surroundings

Indian cities are experiencing significantly higher temperatures compared to their surrounding rural areas due to a phenomenon known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. This effect occurs when dense urban infrastructure, such as buildings, roads, and reduced vegetation, absorbs and retains heat. While climate change contributes to rising temperatures, the UHI effect is an additional and distinct driver of urban overheating. The phenomenon is described as largely invisible yet increasingly impactful across India's growing cities.