Climate change could force mass migration to Indian cities like Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad
Renowned IT industry veteran Narayana Murthy has raised alarms over the looming impacts of climate change on India’s rural landscape, cautioning that rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns could render vast rural areas uninhabitable within the next 20-25 years. Addressing an event in Pune, the Infosys co-founder predicted that this environmental upheaval could trigger a mass migration to urban centres like Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad, further burdening these already overstretched cities.
Murthy highlighted the paradox of urban India, which, while offering refuge, is grappling with significant challenges of its own. Cities such as Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad face worsening pollution, unmanageable traffic, and deteriorating liveability. “These cities are on the brink of becoming uninhabitable themselves,” he remarked, underscoring the critical need for a systemic response. India’s urban population, already swelling due to natural growth and migration, is ill-equipped to handle a massive influx without comprehensive planning and infrastructure overhaul.
From a sustainability perspective, Murthy’s warning highlights the urgency for climate action at a national level. Protecting rural regions from the escalating effects of climate change could mitigate the pressure on urban centres while ensuring equitable development. Promoting green energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate-resilient rural infrastructure can reverse the trend of rural exodus and foster balanced growth. This approach is critical to safeguarding India’s environmental and social fabric.
Murthy called for a collaborative effort between the corporate sector, political leadership, and bureaucratic systems to address these intertwined challenges. He urged India to shed its reactive tendencies and adopt proactive policies to tackle climate change and urban migration. While he expressed hope for progress by 2030, his words serve as a clarion call for urgent intervention to avert a crisis that could reshape the nation’s socio-economic dynamics.
