Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has installed cooling stations at Kalpana Square and Fire Station Square to provide relief to citizens affected by rising summer temperatures and recurring heatwave conditions in the City.
The initiative comes amid increasing concerns over extreme heat events driven by rapid urbanisation and climate change, which have disproportionately affected people working outdoors.
Street vendors, delivery personnel, daily wage labourers, traffic personnel, pedestrians and informal sector workers remain among the most vulnerable groups due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures during peak summer months.
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Located at the City’s busiest public junctions, the kiosks are designed as safe and accessible public comfort spaces where citizens can take temporary shelter from the heat. The kiosks aim to reduce heat stress and improve public health resilience, particularly for those engaged in outdoor activities throughout the day.
According to BMC officials, the initiative reflects the corporation’s commitment to climate-resilient urban governance and inclusive public welfare measures. The cooling stations are expected to serve as a model for similar citizen-friendly infrastructure across other high-footfall locations in the Capital.
