Mumbai’s Green Rings: Urban Forests Aim to Cool City by 3°C and Reclaim Lost Ecology

Mumbai is turning to nature to fight rising heat, with a new initiative to create ‘Urban Forest Rings’ across the city. These green corridors are designed to reduce local temperatures by up to 3°C, restore biodiversity, and offer relief in densely built-up zones facing the brunt of the urban heat island effect.

 

What’s Driving the Change

 

•⁠  ⁠The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in partnership with climate-tech firms and local industrial estates, has begun transforming unused plots into dense urban forests

 

•⁠  ⁠The first major success is the 3.5-acre Mahashramanji Garden in Marol, which has already recorded a 4°C temperature drop in surrounding areas

 

•⁠  ⁠Native species from Aarey and Sanjay Gandhi National Park—like mango, jackfruit, bamboo, and medicinal herbs—form the backbone of these forests

 

Heat Stress and Microclimate Zones

 

•⁠  ⁠Studies by Respirer Living Sciences show temperature differences of up to 13°C between green pockets and concrete-heavy suburbs

 

•⁠  ⁠Informal settlements and industrial zones are most affected, with some areas reaching 47°C during 

peak summer

 

•⁠  ⁠The forest rings aim to create cooler microclimates, especially in heat-stressed wards like Andheri East, Kurla, and Malad

 

Policy and Community Impact

 

•⁠  ⁠The Mumbai Climate Action Plan targets 30–40% vegetation cover by 2030, with urban forests as a 

key strategy

 

•⁠  ⁠Eco-friendly sewage treatment, walkable access, and layered planting make these spaces both functional and inclusive

 

•⁠  ⁠Residents report better air quality, bird sightings, and shaded recreation zones within months of 

planting

 

Sources: Urban Acres, Times of Mumbai, SEforAll, Mid-Day, OpenCity, The Hindu.