From roads that melt in summer heat to power plants shutting down for lack of water, and telecom networks buckling under extreme weather stress, India’s highways, railways, energy grids, ports, and defence posts are increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks
Climate change isn’t just about erratic rains, heatwaves, and extreme weather events leading to natural disasters; it’s silently and actively wearing down the very backbone of our nation, impacting its infrastructure and consequently its economy in a very subtle manner. India’s essential infrastructures — from the highways and railways to power grids, ports, airports, water systems, and telecom networks — are facing a growing crisis.
As if in science fiction, railway tracks, originally designed to operate within a limited temperature range, are reported to be twisting like snakes in the extreme summer heat, and newly paved roads melt under one’s feet. In 2023, extreme heatwaves saw railway tracks buckle and twist in places like Jharkhand’s Dilwa station. Similar incidents were reported across several states, leading to the deployment of special monitoring teams, strict summer safety protocols, and even speed restrictions on vulnerable sections to prevent accidents. Our roads are suffering too. In April 2023, a brand-new 200-metre stretch of road in Surat, connecting the Chandra Shekhar Azad Bridge to Adajan Patiya, literally began to melt under scorching heat. This incident starkly highlighted how fragile Indian roads become if they are not made from climate-resilient materials and consider outdated temperature thresholds.
Excessive rains bring a different set of problems. Rainwater seeps into tiny cracks developed due to extreme weather conditions creating potholes and, in severe cases, causing large road sections to collapse. Considering that over 60 per cent of goods and 85 per cent of people in India depend on road transport, such climate-induced damage is a huge threat. It impacts our safety, access to healthcare systems, the efficiency of supply chains for essential goods, and ultimately, the country’s economic development. The power supply also feels the heat, quite literally. Hydropower, which makes up about 13 per cent of the country’s energy, is at risk. Its reliance on steady river flows makes it vulnerable to erratic monsoons, landslides, and melting glaciers, all of which can disrupt power generation. Similarly, thermal power plants, which provide about 83 per cent of India’s electricity, need massive amounts of water for cooling. This makes them incredibly vulnerable, impacts generation capacity and may trigger electricity shortfalls across critical regions. The Parli thermal power station in Maharashtra, crucial for its Marathwada region, has faced repeated shutdowns due to dangerously low reservoir levels. In March 2016, the 1,720 MW Raichur Thermal Power Station in Karnataka was also forced to shut several units amid severe water shortages. Between 2013 and 2016, 14 of India’s 20 largest thermal utility firms had to suspend operations at various points due to insufficient water, causing an estimated loss of `9,100 crore. With soaring heatwaves, demand for electricity goes up pushing the power grids to their limits. Delhi’s power demand in the summer of 2024 breached 8,300 megawatts — the highest ever recorded in the National Capital Territory — placing immense stress on the city’s electrical infrastructure. The hot climate and stressed electrical infrastructure contribute to a sharp rise in electrical fires. The telecommunication systems are under pressure since the mobile towers, data centres, and internet cables are also at risk from floods, strong winds, and extreme heat. Data centres, needing cool environments, are at constant risk of overheating during heat waves, threatening service continuity. In addition to the civilian set-up, the defence infrastructures are also increasingly exposed to extreme weather conditions.
On the coasts, cyclonic storms and coastal flooding impact the naval facilities. The Hudhud in 2014, for example, caused extensive damage to facilities on the eastern coast. In the Himalayas, Indian Army posts in high-altitude regions like Siachen and parts of Ladakh do face the impact of glacial retreat and unpredictable weather. Melting permafrost weakens foundations, while sudden avalanches and flash floods pose increasing risks to soldiers and supplies. In 2021, a glacier burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district destroyed bridges and roads critical to the region.The vulnerability of urban infrastructure to climate-change-related vagaries gets further increased due to unplanned constructions on wetlands, blocking of drains, paving of areas, and lack of infrastructure upgradation. In Bengaluru, for example, rainfall in September 2022 inundated major tech parks and upscale housing complexes, causing the requirement of an estimated `225 crore for repair to roads and buildings, and restoration of businesses. Bengaluru’s IT sector suffered major disruptions, with productivity losses running into millions.
Chennai’s catastrophic floods in December 2015, which killed over 400 people and caused thousands of crores in property damage highlight the dangers of ignoring urban hydrology and the impact of climate change. Mumbai’s vulnerability to flooding has been on public display almost every monsoon season with the July 2005 deluge etched in memory: 944 mm of rainfall in a single day, claiming over 1,000 lives. In 2023, parts of central and east Delhi went underwater, revealing that the capital’s aged and often clogged drainage systems are easily overwhelmed by erratic rainfall. The Hyderabad flash floods of October 2020 were contributed by cloudbursts, delivering over 190 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.
Over 70 people lost their lives, thousands were displaced, and property damage was estimated at over `8,000 crore. Again, the devastating impacts of Cyclone Amphan in 2020 and Cyclone Yaas in 2021 laid bare the fragility of its urban systems in the wake of extreme weather activities. While urban centres like Guwahati are witnessing repeated waterlogging and landslides; the 2013 Kedarnath disaster, floods in Srinagar in 2014, and the unusually heavy rains in 2019 in Patna with immense damages therefrom are a stark reminder of the urgent need to prioritise climate change preparedness.
Insecurity over land and water is contributing to rising conflicts between communities, especially in regions where traditional resource-sharing systems are breaking down under environmental stress. The “climate-displaced” populations that comprise mostly poor people often lack legal protection and access to adequate compensation, exacerbating existing inequalities. Simultaneously, the burden on public institutions — healthcare, forestry, sanitation, disaster response, and policing — continues to grow, making it harder for the state to deliver services equitably. The conceptualisation of forests as a form of natural infrastructure is gaining increasing traction, emphasising their critical role in providing essential ecosystem services that directly parallel those traditionally associated with human-built systems.
Much like engineered infrastructures, forests regulate hydrological cycles, contributing significantly to flood control through water retention and gradual release; and perform large-scale carbon sequestration, acting as vital sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide. This perspective can facilitate a shift towards more sustainable planning and development practices that integrate natural capital alongside conventional infrastructure investments. Climate-proofing India’s future has no alternative.
The recurring incidences of damage to infrastructure relatable to climate change expose dangerous flaws in our infrastructure, much of which, built decades ago, simply wasn’t designed for today’s climate extremes. India needs a major shift in how it plans and develops. It must design for the future (i.e., build infrastructure that can withstand higher temperatures, heavier rains, and stronger storms); protect natural defences by restoring forests, lakes, wetlands, and green spaces; implement land-use regulations that consider climate risks; and prioritise funds for climate-resilient upgrades and advanced early warning systems.
Simultaneously it must involve local communities in planning and disaster preparedness and empower them duly recognising their unique knowledge. Addressing the emergent challenges requires not just environmental action, but coordinated policy efforts across urban development, environment, forestry, health, and disaster management to ensure that climate resilience goes hand in hand with social justice and national cohesion. Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s here, impacting every aspect of our lives. Addressing it isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s crucial for India’s economic stability, social well-being, and national security. The time to act is now.
(The writers are Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, UP and Maharashtra. Views expressed are personal)