KHPT has joined 10 organisations as a founding partner to launch the Bengaluru Heat Collective, a coalition working to make Bengaluru’s heat crisis more visible, measurable and actionable.

The Collective brings together organisations including ARTPARK, Bengaluru Sustainability Forum, C40 Cities South and West Asia, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, Hasiru Dala, HeatWatch, Jan Sahas Foundation, NIMHANS, Bangalore, Socratus Collective Wisdom Corporation and WRI India, alongside KHPT.

The launch brought focus to the experiences of vulnerable worker groups who face heat related exposures as part of their everyday work. An ASHA worker, domestic worker, construction worker and waste picker shared experiences from their communities, highlighting challenges such as limited access to drinking water and shade, and the lack of safe spaces to rest during long working hours.

The launch also brought together government leadership, including Shri Pommala Sunil Kumar, IAS, Commissioner, Bengaluru North City Corporation; Shri Basavaraj Kabade, Chief Engineer, Bengaluru South City Corporation; and Shri Depinder Kapur, Head, Climate Centre for Cities, NIUA.

The Collective’s initial work will focus on four key areas: mapping heat risk across the city; building cooling infrastructure such as shade, shelters and hydration points; strengthening health monitoring and protections for outdoor and informal workers; and developing ward level microplans that respond to the specific heat related risks and needs of each neighbourhood.

Through these efforts, the Bengaluru Heat Collective aims to support a city where residents, particularly those most exposed to heat, are better protected as temperatures continue to rise.