Bengaluru’s concrete surge leaves only 12% green cover, says IISc study

Bengaluru’s unchecked urbanisation has led to a dramatic loss of its natural ecosystems, with built-up areas now covering 87.6% of the city, according to a recent study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Over the past decade alone, the city has seen a 10% rise in concrete coverage, drastically shrinking its green and blue spaces—trees and water bodies—which now constitute just 12% of its total area.

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The study, Urban Heat Island Linkages with the Landscape Morphology, conducted by IISc’s Centre for Ecological Sciences, highlights severe ecological consequences. The disappearance of vegetation and lakes has contributed to rising surface temperatures, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and a spike in lifestyle-related and cardiovascular health issues.

Using satellite imagery from 1973 to 2025, researchers mapped Bengaluru’s transformation from a city with less than 8% built-up area in the 1970s to its current state. Since the formation of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in the early 2000s, the city’s concrete footprint has expanded by over 1,000%, resulting in an 88% loss of green cover and a 79% decline in water bodies.

The study warns of the rise of "urban heat archipelagos," where multiple heat islands converge, driving citywide temperatures above 44°C. Once-cool zones such as IISc, GKVK, and Jnanabharathi are also under threat. With 90% urban expansion already reached, Bengaluru’s future hinges on immediate ecological intervention.