Amid Delhi summer, new study shows public parks are failing to offer relief
The study, launched on Saturday by Greenpeace India in collaboration with COHAS and Youth for Climate Justice South Asia, recorded a peak surface temperature of 53.3 degrees Celsius in exposed concrete areas in parks. In contrast, tree-covered areas in the same parks measured a highest surface temperature of around 35 degrees Celsius.
On average, the temperature difference between these shaded and unshaded zones was found to be 10 degrees Celsius.
The study was carried out in the midst of Delhi's 2025 summer, one of the city's hottest in recorded history.
The audit evaluated parks not only on the basis of temperature but also on the availability of basic amenities and ecological infrastructure.
It found that a majority of the parks were not equipped to serve as reliable zones where people can come to beat the heat. More than three-quarters of the surveyed parks lacked drinking water points for the public.
Also, none had officially installed shelters for urban birdlife. While 73% of the parks featured water bowls for animals and birds, nearly all had been set up by residents or informal caretakers rather than municipal authorities.
Only 28% of the parks had any form of water body, and several of these were found to be either drying up or poorly maintained. Access restrictions were another concern – 74% of the parks were closed during some part of the day, and 64% were shut at night, even in densely populated and heat-prone areas.
'In many low-income neighbourhoods, the heat lingers late into the night, yet most parks are locked then. It made us realise that parks aren't luxuries, they are life-saving infrastructure,' said Priyanka, a member of the audit team from COHAS.
While Delhi is recorded as having 25% green cover according to a 2023 State of Forest report, this audit found that the majority of functional parks – those with tree canopy, soil-based ground, and walkable space – are concentrated in South, South East, New Delhi, East, and West Delhi districts.
The report also draws attention to the increasing concretisation of public green spaces. In many parks, tree roots were found encased in cement, and previously permeable soil surfaces had been replaced with tiled or paved walkways. These changes not only reduce the land's natural cooling ability but also threaten the health of the trees themselves, the report claimed.
'We had a closed group discussion for the launch, inviting people who work with forests, parks, and heatwave research. Many of them are involved in park restoration, composting, and using their local parks for social and cultural activities. We discussed what can be done. Largely, our solution is to make civic audits like this one, and reimagine the park as an accessible place for social functions,' said Aakiz Farooq, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace India, who led the audit.
'We plan to submit copies of the report to the Delhi government, the DDA, and the NDMC,' he said. Farooq pointed to 'remaining' forested zones – including those in Dwarka, the Aravalli range, and Sanjay Van – which continue to face pressure from infrastructure development and urban expansion.
The 'Delhi Rising' campaign, under which this audit was conducted, has recommended a series of policy measures. These included ensuring 24/7 access to at least one green space within every residential zone, installing public drinking water facilities and shaded seating in all major parks, and banning further concretisation around trees. The report also called for legally protecting urban forest patches and introducing biodiversity-friendly infrastructure, such as birdhouses, native tree species, and functional water bodies.
As heatwaves become more frequent and more intense, the question of who gets to access relief — and who is left behind — has become a critical focus for policymakers.
'Parks were selected using purposive sampling methodology covering historical, biodiversity, and locality parks while also ensuring geographical diversity (covering parks in each zone). Using closed-ended survey methodology, an audit team of 4-5 people surveyed the selected parks… 40 parks were assessed to understand the variance in surface temperatures,' the audit stated.
There are more than 18,000 parks and gardens in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The website of the Delhi Parks and Society, accessed by The Indian Express on July 12, stated, 'At present, these areas are managed by various agencies like MCD, DDA, NDMC, PWD, CPWD, etc. A few of them are very well managed, while many are not in good shape. Some resident associations are very active in managing these parks, while many others are less active, resulting in their poor management.'
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