Indian Cities Must Open Parks at Night for Climate Adaptation and Inclusion

A commentary argues that Indian cities must develop well-lit, safe night parks as public infrastructure for heat adaptation, public health and social inclusion, challenging the routine closure of urban parks after evening hours that limits democratic access to green space. The argument situates night parks at the intersection of urban ecology, rights of access and climate resilience.

Urban parks in Indian cities are typically closed in the late evening or overnight, restricting their use to a narrow demographic and a limited portion of the day. As India's cities experience intensifying heat waves — with night-time temperatures in Delhi reaching 32.4°C — the absence of accessible, cooled public green spaces after dark worsens heat stress for outdoor workers, hawkers and low-income households with inadequate home cooling. Parks designed and managed for night use could serve as thermal refuges comparable to the public cooling centres recommended by health authorities.

The equity dimension of the argument is significant. Wealthier urban residents access privately managed clubs, air-conditioned malls and gated community parks that function as de facto public spaces outside official hours. Working-class residents, particularly women and the elderly, have no comparable access to safe, shaded outdoor spaces in the evenings when heat is still acute. The commentary frames this as a failure of the right to the city — a structural inequity in how urban ecological infrastructure is governed.

Implementing night parks would require investments in lighting, security, sanitation and landscape design adapted to low-light conditions. Municipal bodies in cities including Bengaluru and Pune have piloted extended-access models in select parks, offering early evidence of both feasibility and demand. The broader case connects to India's National Mission on Sustainable Habitat and to the Supreme Court's ongoing monitoring of green space protection in urban areas. Advocates argue that night parks should be incorporated into heat action plans as essential climate adaptation infrastructure.

Key figure — Delhi minimum temperature 32.4°C during May 2026 heatwave