The town of Banda in Uttar Pradesh takes on a deserted look after 10 am every day, with shops almost shut and roads empty, not because of a ritual but due to excruciating heat.
Court Road, the most crowded part of the Banda district with all government offices around, bears a deserted look. (Hindustan Times/ Haider Naqvi, Rajeev Mullick)
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On April 27 this year, Banda recorded 47.6 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature anywhere in India that day and its highest since 1951, surpassing its previous peak of 47.4 degrees Celsius for the month, reached on April 30, 2022, and April 25, 2026. UP's Banda was warmest in India on fourth consecutive day on Wednesday at 48 degrees Celsius after logging a record-high of 48.2°C on Tuesday.
The sustained readings have placed Banda among India’s most extreme heat locations — a distinction long associated with Rajasthan towns such as Churu and Jaisalmer.
But why exactly is the town in UP’s Bundelkhand region sizzling so much right now? Here is what researchers have to say.
Why is UP’s Banda heating up so much?
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According to researchers, the vulnerability of the Banda district reflects a climate crisis due to years of localised ecological destruction that stripped away the natural systems that once moderated its climate. Here are the key reasons:
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According to researchers, the vulnerability of the Banda district reflects a climate crisis due to years of localised ecological destruction that stripped away the natural systems that once moderated its climate. Here are the key reasons:
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Mining and blasting: Hills in Banda and the wider Bundelkhand region are blasted with explosives. Sand is extracted from the Ken riverbed by excavators. Both actions are prohibited under NGT guidelines, yet continue on an industrial scale in the area, destroying the ecology and the climate.
Dust and debris clouds: Blasting and crushing in Banda are releasing massive dust clouds. These dust particles get suspended in the air and trap solar heat close to the ground surface, preventing natural cooling from occurring.
River degradation: As the sand is removed from the Ken riverbed on an industrial scale, it strips the riverbed of its recharge capacity. Water no longer percolates into the ground. Instead, it runs rapidly off the surface.
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The Ken, which was once 10-20 feet deep in many stretches, is now barely 0.5–1.5 metres deep. And it dries completely during the summer, further trapping heat.
Groundwater collapse:With no river recharge and depleted aquifers, groundwater in rural Banda district has dropped to around 120 feet below the surface. Dry soil and rock absorb and radiate far more heat than moist land, providing another route for the heat to keep rising in the area.
Deforestation: Banda loses an estimated 13.72 per cent of forest cover each year. Dense forest cover has fallen 17.55 per cent as measured by a 2025 multi-university study. Trees provide shade, release moisture into the air, and slow wind — all of which lower temperatures. With fewer and fewer of them doing it each year, the temperature keeps on adding up
Rajeev Mullick, Assistant Editor, is a Lucknow-based journalist with over 26 years of experience covering governance, public policy and administration in Uttar Pradesh. His reporting focuses on the district administration, the Divisional Commissioner's Office, the Regional Meteorological Centre, and government policies relating to technical, higher, secondary and primary education. Known for impactful public-interest journalism, his investigations have led to significant policy attention, including a report on deficiencies in a state-run school footwear distribution scheme that prompted widespread national coverage and High Court intervention. He broke the story on the Uttar Pradesh government's One District One Cuisine initiative, highlighting the inclusion of sweets and the exclusion of non-vegetarian dishes, triggering widespread public debate. He covered Mahakumbh 2025 at Prayagraj, reports on the event's administrative, logistical and civic dimensions. From 2012 to 2024, he headed the Lucknow City Bureau, leading coverage of the state's administrative and civic developments while mentoring young reporters. He loves to travel, listen to music. He is fond of eating good food both veg and non veg. He has travelled to several states like West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Family Nadu, Kerela, Bihar, Jharkhand and home state UP.
Haidar Naqvi is an Assistant Editor with the Hindustan Times in Kanpur and has been with the newspaper since May 1997, after beginning his journalism career with The Times of India. Over more than three decades, he has reported on terrorism, internal security, politics, governance and public affairs, with a particular focus on the changing nature of extremist movements in India.From 2008 to 2011, Haidar was part of the Hindustan Times National Reporting Team, contributing to coverage of some of the country's most significant security stories. He was among the reporters who covered the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as they unfolded and continued reporting on the investigation that exposed the conspiracy behind them.His reporting has followed the rise and evolution of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), the Indian Mujahideen and India's counter-terrorism response, alongside extensive coverage of organised crime and the underworld. He has also reported on Indian Mujahideen serial blasts, the Maoist insurgency, communal riots, parliamentary and assembly elections, and major political developments. Over the years, he has interviewed political leaders, senior police officers, intelligence officials and policymakers, while reporting from communities affected by violence, conflict and public policy.Beyond national security, Haidar has covered politics, minority affairs, governance, wildlife and human-interest stories across Central Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand. A recipient of the coveted Hindustan Times' Star Award, he brings historical perspective, field experience and institutional knowledge to reporting on the intersection of security, governance and society.
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Home/India News/India's hottest place is in UP, not Rajasthan. Here’s why Banda is baking at 48 degrees C
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