BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday inaugurated two temporary cooling shelters at Kalpana square and near Fire Station to provide relief to citizens during the ongoing summer.
The civic body said Bhubaneswar witnesses daily movement of thousands of people from different parts of the state for various official and personal purposes. Major transit points and bus stoppages often remain crowded with commuters, senior citizens, women and children waiting for transport under intense summer conditions.
To address this challenge and provide temporary relief from the scorching heat, the civic body developed the cooling shelters as shaded and comfortable public resting spaces at high-footfall locations, officials said.
Mayor Sulochana Das, who inaugurated the cooling shelters, said the shelters have been introduced on a pilot basis and more such facilities may be established across the city in the future if required.
The cooling shelters have been designed using environment-friendly and traditional cooling techniques instead of air-conditioning systems. The interiors are lined with vettiver screens that help naturally cool the air, while ceiling fans have also been installed inside the structures for improved ventilation and comfort.
BMC has also deployed dedicated personnel to sprinkle water on the vettiver screens to maintain the cooling effect during peak daytime temperatures. Officials said use of traditional cooling materials will reduce energy consumption but support environmentally sustainable urban infrastructure.
The naturally cooled air generated through the screens will also be beneficial for breathing comfort and help provide respite from extreme summer heat, they said.