Telangana rolls out massive urban climate plan backed by ₹20,000-crore project pipeline

Telangana is preparing its cities for rising temperatures and erratic rainfall through a broad project pipeline worth about ₹20,000 crore and a series of new urban policies. The measures form part of the State's long-term Telangana Rising 2047 vision.

Key Infrastructure Plans

Municipal Administration and Urban Development secretary T.K. Sreedevi stated that the roadmap integrates climate concerns into urban planning across urban local bodies. The policy framework includes a mandatory Urban Road Code, a Cool Roof Policy, a Heatwave Action Plan and a Treated Water Reuse Policy. Out of 43 projects proposed under the Urban Challenge Fund, three have secured approval. State cities account for net emissions of about 66.56 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Ongoing Actions

Interventions are already active, such as bamboo misting bus shelters in Khammam that use low-carbon materials and offer relief to commuters. Bio-mining of legacy waste dumps has helped avoid an estimated 5.6 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and reclaimed about 418 acres of land. A new State Climate Centre for Cities has been set up to coordinate action plans and maintain a data repository, alongside dedicated Climate Change Cells and nine Climate Action Officers for municipal corporations outside Hyderabad.

Cool Roofs and Wastewater

The Cool Roof Policy targets 300 square kilometres of cool roofs, reflecting about 80% of incoming sunlight and lowering indoor temperatures by up to 4.3 degrees Celsius. Urban areas generate nearly 2,750 million litres of sewage a day, while current treatment plants handle about 1,950 million litres daily. The State aims to treat 80% of sewage and reuse 20% of treated water by 2030, scaling up to 100% for both by 2047.

Context

Urban areas across India face mounting climate pressures from extreme heat and shifting monsoon patterns, prompting state governments to adopt structured municipal policies. These long-term urban resilience frameworks rely on a combination of green building codes, waste management upgrades, and optimized water recycling systems to protect growing city populations.