From bamboo bus shelters that offer shade and cooling to commuters, to the reclamation of waste dumps and the plugging of water supply leaks, Telangana is drawing up a broad plan to make its cities more resilient to climate change. The measures, backed by new urban policies and a project pipeline worth about ₹20,000 crore, are part of the State’s long-term Telangana Rising 2047 vision.The roadmap seeks to integrate climate concerns into urban planning, infrastructure development and municipal services across urban local bodies (ULBs), said Municipal Administration and Urban Development secretary T.K.
Sreedevi. The policy framework is being strengthened through a mandatory Urban Road Code, a Cool Roof Policy, a Heatwave Action Plan and a Treated Water Reuse Policy.
Of the 43 projects proposed under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), three have secured approval.The roadmap seeks to integrate climate concerns into urban planning, infrastructure development and municipal services across urban local bodies (ULBs), Municipal Administration and Urban Development secretary T.K. Sreedevi said.
The policy framework is being strengthened through a mandatory Urban Road Code, a Cool Roof Policy, a Heatwave Action Plan and a Treated Water Reuse Policy. Of the 43 projects proposed under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), three have secured approval.Heatwaves and erratic rainfall are becoming increasingly evident across Telangana, though their impact varies by region.
The government says this calls for location-specific interventions based on climate data. The challenge is significant: the State’s cities account for net emissions of about 66.56 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, with buildings, transport, wastewater, waste management and urban expansion among the major contributors.Some interventions are already under way.
Bamboo misting bus shelters in Khammam use a low-carbon building material while providing relief to commuters. Bio-mining of legacy waste dumps is aimed at reducing methane emissions and reclaiming land.
The government is also working to reduce non-revenue water through leak detection, pipeline renewal and digital monitoring, besides expanding underground sewerage networks and reusing treated wastewater.The bio-mining programme has helped avoid an estimated 5.6 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and reclaimed about 418 acres for productive urban use, Ms. Sreedevi said.To coordinate these efforts, a State Climate Centre for Cities has been established at the office of the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration.
It will coordinate city-level climate action plans, maintain a climate data repository and provide technical support to municipalities.Dedicated Climate Change Cells, city-specific action plans and nine Climate Action Officers are also planned for municipal corporations outside Hyderabad: Greater Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, Nizamabad, Ramagundam, Nalgonda, Mancherial, Mahabubnagar and Kothagudem.The Telangana Urban Climate Atlas, a climate intelligence platform, has been set up to help municipalities identify vulnerable zones, prioritise investments and track climate indicators. Capacity-building programmes have been conducted for representatives of 113 ULBs to strengthen preparedness and project planning.A key intervention is the Cool Roof Policy, effective from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2028.
It targets 300 sq km of cool roofs, including 200 sq km in the Hyderabad metropolitan region and 100 sq km in other urban local bodies. Cool roofs reflect about 80% of incoming sunlight, against 20% for conventional roofs.
They can lower indoor temperatures by 2.1°C to 4.3°C and reduce air-conditioning costs by up to 20%. Full implementation is expected to save nearly 600 million units of electricity annually and generate a one-time carbon offset of about 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.The policy covers government and commercial buildings and residential properties on plots of 600 square yards and above.
Compliance has been integrated into the ‘Build Now’ building approval system and linked to occupancy certification. The government has also set a three-year target for retrofitting all non-residential buildings.Urban heat mitigation proposals for Ramagundam and Adilabad are being prepared under UCF financing.
Both cities are among the 29 ULBs covered by the World Bank-supported Telangana Urban Transformation and Jobs Programme, which includes urban greening, shaded public spaces and cool-roof measures.Wastewater treatment remains a major challenge. Telangana’s urban areas generate nearly 2,750 million litres of sewage a day, while 59 operational sewage treatment plants have a combined capacity of about 1,950 MLD.
Hyderabad accounts for most of the installed capacity, leaving smaller and medium-sized towns with a substantial treatment gap.The State aims to treat 80% of sewage and reuse 20% of treated water by 2030. The targets rise to 90% treatment and 50% reuse by 2035, and 100% for both by 2047.
Industries with high pollution loads and bulk water users consuming more than 5,000 litres a day will be required to shift to treated wastewater in phases by 2035.Other measures include drinking-water kiosks planned with the Panchayati Raj department, shaded structures at major traffic junctions and cooling centres at bus stations, markets, public buildings and places of worship. Community drinking-water and buttermilk distribution points are also being promoted during summer.Long-term plans include avenue plantations, cool pavements, shaded seating and integrated stormwater systems in road projects.
Municipalities have been asked to promote rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge through pits, trenches, permeable pavements and connected drains. Future road designs will prioritise unobstructed footpaths, cycle tracks on wider roads, barrier-free access, better bus stops, street lighting and underground utility corridors to avoid repeated road cutting.