Uploaded on 2017-10-22 by Poornima Kumar

This is a picture of the countryside just beyond Bengaluru, an area full of agricultural fields and open land. Traveling in a train, these areas are perceptibly cooler than the central urban areas of Bengaluru. Owing to the sparser settlement area, large green cover and trees, fewer roads and paved surfaces and fewer vehicles, the UHI is comparatively absent from such areas. 3. To reduce UHI and make the city of Bengaluru more liveable, I would propose the following measures: 1. Designated pedestrian areas and vehicle-free zones in busy areas such as Malleshwaram 2. Compulsory increase in green cover 3. Compulsory use of porous paving where absolutely necessary (no hard paving) 4. Improvement in inter-connectivity of public transportation networks. Although there is a metro system and certain areas are attempting to become more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, it is still difficult to rely entirely on public transportation. Also, the number of buses one must take to reach even major districts in the city is a hindrance. The bus route system needs to be planned in a more efficient manner to connect the far-flung areas of this city. 4. Policy: Although there is greater awareness thanks to research institutions and private think tanks working in the public policy domain, there are yet no policies dealing with UHI. However, the transportation strategy of the Government of Karnataka mentions UHI as a concern and emphasizes the need to improve public infrastructure, since traffic and vehicular pollution is a significant problem in the area.