New Delhi, In a new initiative to provide relief from the scorching summer heat, the Delhi government is launching a solar-powered public cooling structure in northwest Delhi as a pilot project, an official said on Thursday.Delhi to set up solar-powered 'cooling hut' as pilot heat relief projectAdditional structures are planned, which will offer shaded resting spaces equipped with mist-based cooling facilities.Designed in the shape of a small hut, the structure will use traditional khus grass padding on all sides along with a sprinkler system to create a natural cooling effect for visitors sitting inside, the official told PTI.The facility, currently under construction, is expected to be completed by the end of May and inaugurated by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in the first week of June in Shalimar Bagh, according to the official.People visiting the cooling hut will have access to seating arrangements, cold drinking water dispensers and charging sockets for mobile phones. Solar panels installed on the roof will power the facility, making it energy-efficient and suitable for use during peak summer months."The idea is to create a public cooling zone where people, especially labourers, commuters and residents exposed to extreme heat, can sit for a while and get relief from high temperatures," he said.The misting effect generated through the khus grass and sprinklers is expected to help lower the surrounding temperature and reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke.He also said that the Shalimar Bagh installation will function as a pilot project. If the public response is encouraging and the model proves effective, similar cooling huts may be installed in other parts of the city in the coming months.The initiative comes amid continuing heatwave conditions in the national capital, where the Delhi government has been expanding relief measures through mobile cooling units and temporary cooling zones.As part of its ongoing heat action campaign, the government has provided relief to around 2.65 lakh people between May 6 and May 23 through mobile heat relief units deployed across Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had said earlier this week.During the same period, around 1,13,900 litres of cold drinking water were distributed, along with 44,646 gamchas and 30,864 caps to help people protect themselves from heatstroke, according to official figures.Officials said cooling zones and relief facilities are being established in different districts of the city where people can take short breaks from the heat and access drinking water and shade."Similar facilities are also being started in the remaining districts this week, and the campaign will continue till July," Gupta had said.Delhi has experienced prolonged high temperatures over the past few weeks, with the city recording its hottest night in 14 years on Monday, registering a minimum temperature of 32.4 degrees Celsius, which is 5.6 degrees above the seasonal average.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.