A satellite-based analysis of Delhi shows that heat exposure is not uniform across the city, with densely populated and less affluent neighbourhoods experiencing significantly higher temperatures than greener and better-planned areas.

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• Satellite analysis showed temperature differences of up to 7°C between different Delhi neighbourhoods.
• Dense and lower-income areas recorded much higher land surface temperatures than greener localities.
• Sarita Vihar recorded around 39°C while nearby Shaheen Bagh and Madanpur touched nearly 46°C.
• NASA and satellite data revealed that Delhi’s summer heat is divided into multiple “heat pockets.”
• Areas with more trees, open spaces and wider roads remained relatively cooler.
• Concrete-heavy and densely built settlements retained heat for longer durations.
• Vasant Kunj recorded lower temperatures compared to nearby Mahipalpur.
• Greater Kailash appeared cooler than several outer Delhi regions on thermal maps.
• Hotspots like Bawana, Mubarakpur and Najafgarh recorded extremely high surface temperatures.
• Green areas near Yamuna floodplains and South Delhi showed noticeably lower temperatures.
• Study used NASA/USGS Landsat 8 and 9 satellite imagery along with Sentinel-2 mapping.
• Research highlighted how urban planning and green cover directly affect heat exposure.
• Findings underline growing risks of urban heat islands and climate inequality in cities.