Thane municipal corporation (TMC) to install green shade covers at traffic junctions to combat heat

THANE: The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) will install green shade covers at key traffic junctions where signal wait times exceed 60 seconds, Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao announced. The initiative is part of a broader Heat Action Plan being implemented by the Thane corporation in collaboration with the New Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the state government, aiming to protect motorists—especially bikers and pedestrians—from the harsh midday temperatures.

So far, these netted shades have been installed at six locations, including Teen Hath Naka, Almeida Chowk, Khopat, and near Nitin Company. Rao has now instructed that these be expanded to all junctions within the corporation limits where the wait time is over 60 seconds, informed an official present at the meeting. Additionally, experts have recommended installing water fountains and rest sheds at 25 high-traffic points across the city.

Meanwhile, activists have called out the irony in the move, noting that while authorities are now acting on heat mitigation, they have long overlooked the city’s dwindling green cover. As reported by TOI, over 5,000 trees were lost or severely damaged over the past five years—many apparently due to civic projects carried out with little regard for tree protection. The number could be higher, considering the approvals given by the corporation to accommodate certain civic or construction works and those which go unreported, fear activists.

“Over the years, approvals were given or are in the process for cutting or transplantation of thousands of trees in the city. The numbers could be more as the TMC doesn’t publish information related to permissions granted for tree cutting, trimming, or transplantation. The corporation’s approach towards urban greenery is unsatisfactory. Rather than acting as a guardian of trees, the TMC has become a sanctioning body for their destruction,” blamed activist Nishant Bangera of Muse Foundation, who recently staged a protest against the mass-level loss of green cover in Thane.

“The corporation didn’t ensure soil space around trees during various road works, which eventually weakened their roots. Many got uprooted during heavy rains and winds,” said Rohit Joshi, a local green activist. “By the time corrective measures were taken, the damage was done.”