Amravati: Amravati has become the first municipal corporation in Maharashtra to draft ‘Cool Roof’ by-laws using remote sensing technology for reducing temperatures. It has secured first place and won a prize of ₹10 lakh in the Maharashtra govt’s ‘Rajiv Gandhi Administrative Dynamism Campaign and Competition 2025–26′. The competition was held in Mumbai recently.The by-laws are designed to reduce temperatures and save energy through solar-reflective roofs. It is now mandatory for new buildings to implement these rules and are linked to the building permission process. Also, old buildings adopting these rules will get tax concessions. The implementation is being done through a special digital portal that integrates the Tax Department and the Building Department.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the award to Amravati Municipal Commissioner Varsha Laddha, IAS, and Deputy Engineer Hemant Mahajan.Amravati earned this honor by competing against major municipal corporations such as Pune, Mira-Bhayandar, and Navi Mumbai.The competition was held in two phases. In the first phase, an online application was submitted with detailed information about the initiative. In the second phase, a presentation was made before a committee chaired by the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, highlighting its effectiveness, innovation, and implementation.Former Amravati Commissioner Soumya Sharma was the brainchild behind this initiative.
