Bengaluru, once known as India’s "Garden City," is facing an alarming transformation. A recent study by the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) reveals that only 12% of the city’s land is now covered with greenery and water bodies. The remaining 87.6% has turned into built-up areas, homes, buildings, and roads, leading to rising temperatures and worsening health conditions.

The findings are part of a study titled "Urban Heat Island Linkages with the Landscape Morphology," and were reported by The New Indian Express.

According to the study, Bengaluru had just 7.97% built-up land in the 1970s. But over the decades, that figure has exploded by 1078%, turning the city into what researchers now call a “Concrete City.” Alongside, the city has seen a 79% drop in water bodies and an 88% decline in vegetation.

This rapid urbanisation has led to the creation of “urban heat archipelagos”—clusters of hot zones across the city caused by the lack of natural spaces.

The researchers say that this rise in concrete coverage has caused local temperatures to shoot up. In some parts, surface temperatures can cross 44°C, making daily life harder for residents.

"By reducing green and blue spaces, we are seeing not only higher temperatures but also an increase in greenhouse gas emissions," the report stated.

The impact of this heat isn’t just environmental—it’s personal. Residents are now facing more lifestyle diseases, breathing problems, and cardiovascular issues.

Professor T V Ramachandra, co-author of the study, told TNIE that there is a clear link between rising health problems and the shrinking of what he calls “lung spaces.”

“Open spaces around buildings help regulate temperature. Their absence is affecting public health,” he said.

The study points to corruption and poor enforcement of urban planning laws as reasons why green cover continues to disappear, even as the city overheats.

Despite the rising heat and frequent unseasonal rains, urban expansion continues unchecked, putting pressure on the city’s already stretched resources.

The IISc study warns that if no action is taken, the situation will only get worse. It urges city planners to rethink how Bengaluru is growing and make space for nature to breathe again.

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