Maharashtra Moves to Mainstream Heat-Resilient Housing in 15 High-Risk Districts

As heatwaves intensify, Maharashtra is shifting strategy — from crisis response to climate-ready housing. A new policy targets 15 high-risk districts with long-term solutions.

Mumbai: In a significant policy shift aligned with climate realities, the Maharashtra government has issued a detailed framework to integrate heat-resilient housing and settlements across 15 high-temperature risk districts, signalling a move from reactive disaster response to long-term climate adaptation.

The guideline, anchored in recommendations of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), lays out a three-tier implementation strategy — immediate, medium-term, and long-term — aimed at protecting vulnerable populations and redesigning housing ecosystems to withstand rising heat stress.

15 Districts Identified as High Heat Risk Zones

The policy targets districts including Latur, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Amravati, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nanded and others — regions already witnessing extreme temperature patterns and urban heat stress.

Importantly, the framework applies across:

• Urban and rural housing
• Informal settlements and slums
• Labour colonies and temporary shelters

From Mapping Risk to Protecting the Vulnerable

At the core of the policy is data-driven vulnerability mapping.

District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) will:

• Identify heat hotspots and high-risk settlements
• Build geo-referenced databases of vulnerable groups
  • elderly
  • children
  • pregnant women
  • outdoor workers
  • SC/ST communities

This marks a shift from generic advisories to targeted intervention planning.

Three-Tier Strategy: Immediate to Structural Reform

1. Immediate Measures (Short-Term Response)

The focus here is rapid risk reduction:

• Establish cooling centres in public buildings
• Set up shade and rest zones in high-footfall areas
• Launch heat awareness campaigns via local media
• Deploy health camps and emergency medical readiness

Low-cost interventions such as:

• reflective roofing
• improved ventilation
• temporary shading

will be prioritised for quick scalability.

2. Medium-Term Measures (1–3 Years)

This phase introduces structural reform in housing and planning:

• Integration of heat-resilient features in schemes like housing missions
• Revision of building codes to include:
  • cool roofs
  • green roofs
  • passive ventilation design
• Strengthening capacity of local bodies through training

Urban planning reforms include:

• mandatory green/open space norms
• reflective materials in construction
• inclusion of heat adaptation indicators in project planning (DPRs)

3. Long-Term Strategy (Policy-Level Transformation)

The long-term vision is systemic:

• Climate-resilient housing programmes at scale
• Heat-responsive building codes
• Climate-sensitive zoning regulations
• Mandatory heat-risk assessment for new infrastructure projects

The policy also pushes for:

• equitable access to cooling infrastructure
• integration with state climate action plans

Institutional Coordination at the Core

Implementation will be led by:

• District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs)
• Urban Local Bodies

With support from:

• MHADA
• urban planning authorities
• public works departments
• health and welfare systems

This multi-agency approach is critical, given that heat risk cuts across housing, health, and urban planning sectors.

Policy Significance: From Disaster Response to Climate Governance

This framework represents a broader shift in governance thinking:

• from heatwaves as seasonal crises
• to heat as a structural urban risk

If implemented effectively, Maharashtra could:

• reduce heat-related mortality
• improve housing quality for vulnerable populations
• build long-term urban climate resilience

But the real test will lie in execution at district and municipal levels, where past climate frameworks have often struggled.