DRAFT Report On Clean Air Action Plan

DRAFT OCTOBER 2022
CLEAN AIR ACTION

PLAN FOR KOLKATA
METROPOLITAN AREA
Report of the Joint Committee
Department of Environment
Government of West Bengal
Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 1 25/11/22 5:05 PM

DRAFT OCTOBER 2022
CLEAN AIR ACTION

PLAN FOR KOLKATA
METROPOLITAN AREA
Report of the Joint Committee
Department of Environment
Government of West Bengal

Contents
1. ABOUT THE CLEAN AIR ACTION PLAN 7
2. GUIDING PRINCIPLES 9
2.1 Leveraging Green City Mission 10
3. SECTOR-WISE ACTION PLAN FOR ABATEMENT OF AIR POLLUTION 11

3.1 Strengthening air-quality monitoring 11
3.2 Sources of air pollution 19
3.21 Action plan: Air-quality monitoring and source assessment 21
3.3 Solid waste management 22
3.3.1 Action Plan: Municipal solid waste 47
3.4 Construction and demolition waste and dust 50
3.4.1 Action plan: C&D waste 56
3.5 Vehicles and transport 58
3.5.1 On-road emissions inspection and monitoring 68
3.5.2 Electric mobility and clean fuels 79
3.5.3 Public transport 83
3.5.4 Walkability, NMT network and accessibility 91
3.5.5 Parking management for reducing parking demand and use of vehicles 93
Action Plan: Transport and mobility 96
3.6 Industrial pollution 99
3.6.1 Action plan: Industrial pollution 116
3.7 Thermal power plants 118
3.7.1 Action Plan: Thermal power plants 119
3.8 Roads and open areas 121
3.8.1 Action Plan: Road dust 126
3.9 Crop residue burning 127
3.9.1 Action plan: Crop residue burning 131.
3.10 Household fuels 132
3.10.1 Action plan: Household pollution 133
3.11 Greening and plantation programmes 133
3.11.1 Action plan: Greening and plantations 135
4. STRENGTHEN INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF

CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME 136
4.1 Funding strategies 137
REFERENCES 139
ANNEXURE 140

CLEAN AIR ACTION PLAN FOR KOLKATA METROPOLITAN AREA
The order of the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal dated May 2, 2022 in the
Original Application No. 171/2016/EZ with M.A. No.57/2018/EZ, has directed
“constitution of a joint Committee comprising Secretary Environment, Secretary
Transport, Secretary Urban Development, Secretary Local Bodies, (all West
Bengal govt), CPCB and State PCB to prepare/update action plan for Kolkata
metropolitan Area for control of air pollution. Secretary Environment will be nodal
agency for compliance. The joint Committee may meet within one month and
finalize/update its plan within three months. It may consider outline of suggested
plans in the order dated 8.10.2018, quoted in para 11 and 12 above and other plans
finalized by AQMC in respect of NACs in the State of West Bengal, in pursuance
of the said order. It will be open to any stake holder to put forward suggestions for
consideration of the Committee. The Committee will also be free to interact with
any other expert/institution/department on the subject.”
Accordingly, the Joint Committee was constituted by the Department of

Environment to initiate the multi-stakeholder process for the preparation of the
clean air action plan for the Kolkata metropolitan Area (KMA).

1. About the Clean Air Action
Plan
Extensive consultation has been carried out with the concerned departments and
implementing agencies in all the key sectors of air pollution control in KMA (see
Map 1: Urban Local Bodies in Kolkata Metropolitan Area). The submissions from
the departments and urban local bodies, existing scientific literature, relevant
policies, regulations, programmes and funding schemes of the state and central
government have been reviewed to assess the current status of policies and
implementation to identify the roadmap for the KMA region.
The geographical scope of this plan is the entire KMA area that extends to
over a great part of the six districts situated on either side of the Hooghly River
namely Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24
Parganas. The KMA comprises of four Municipal Corporations (MC) and 37
Municipalities (M).
This report has grouped all ULBs in two blocks: i) Kolkata-Howrah and
Bidhannagar and ii) larger KMA region. This reflects the variation in the level of
urbanisation, infrastructure, differentiated approach between bigger cities of KMA
and the smaller municipalities. There are three cities in the KMA area—Kolkata,
Howrah and Barrackpore—that have been designated as non-attainment cities
under the National Clean Air programme (NCAP). These cities have prepared
their initial clean air action plans.
This multi-sector action plan includes within its scope the diverse strategies across
the sectors of air quality monitoring and management, emissions from industry,
power plants, vehicles and transportation, municipal solid waste, landfill fires,
construction and demolition waste, road dust and open areas and household
pollution. This has also considered episodic pollution like crop residue burning.
This plan takes cognizance of the fact that several interventions have been initiated
in different sectors therefore the next steps need to build on this baseline to improve
systems, infrastructure, regulations, implementation strategies, compliance and
enforcement framework, institutional and funding mechanism in each sector of
pollution control.

Efforts have been made to initiate direct engagement with 41 urban local bodies
in KMA to assess their respective issues and to have a granular view of the local
imperatives.
Priority strategies have been identified for each sector. Accordingly, agencies
responsible for implementation and the timeline for the action have been identified.
The measures are divided into short term (up to one year), medium term (one to
three years) and long term (three to five years).

2. Guiding principles
• Clean air is achievable and is urgently needed to protect public health, wellbeing
and increase productivity.
• Clean air solutions need to be equitable, affordable, innovative
• Strong scientific and knowledge support is needed for air quality management.
• Clean air targets can be met with multi-sector action and system based
approach.
• Regional-level approach can maximize air quality gains
Map 1: Urban local bodies in Kolkata Metropolitan Area
Source: Based on data provided by SUDA, KMC and Bally Municipality; generated by CSE

2.1. Leveraging Green City Mission

This clean air action plan aims to leverage the Green City Mission 2016 of the
Government of West Bengal. The components of this Mission have bearing on
this action planning process. These include specific measures for reduction of air,
sound and visual pollution, emphasis on Mission Nirmal Bangla, improvement of
solid waste management, use of dumpers and compactor machines, development
of roadside architecture; Building Energy Positive City approach that includes
installation of solar panel in important buildings, use of LED lights at roads and
public spaces and incentives for green building; Sustainable public transport
including use of battery-operated vehicles, building cycle tracks, construction of
modern bus stands, building of eco-friendly parking space and adequate sub ways;
improvement of public spaces cover development of parks, green strips, footpaths,
afforestation and landscaping; and, urban afforestation, parks floriculture, pocket
forests, plantation along the median of the roads. cleaning and beautification
programme. This plan integrates these requirements in sector specific action plan.
10

3. Sector-wise action plan for
abatement of air pollution
3.1 Strengthening air quality monitoring
Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) has 10 real-time monitoring stations, out of
which six are located in Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), two in Howrah
Municipal Corporation (HMC), and one each in Bidhannagar Municipal
Corporation (BMC) and Bally municipality. Thus, nearly all real time monitors
are located in the KMC-HM-BMC area.
Map 2: Distribution of real-time and manual monitors of KMA
Note: Real-time stations as per the data on CPCB Website on August 1, 2022. Manual stations as per the NAMP report 2020.
Source: Analysis based on CPCB data
11

The most of the KMA area is dependent on 33 manual monitoring stations which
are distributed among 13 ULBs. KMC has 13 manual stations, BMC has six, HMC
has four, and the ULBs of Bansberia, Baranagar, Barasat, Barrackpore, Hooghly-
Chinsura, Kalyani, Khardah, Madhyamgram, Rishra, and Uluberia have one
manual station each. Additional two manual stations are located in rural areas.
The two are in the Panchayat Samity Area (see Map 2: Distribution of real-time
and manual monitors of KMA).
Further strengthening of the KMA wide monitoring grid, especially real time
monitoring, can help to track compliance with National Ambient Air Quality
Standards in the region, assess regional scale and urban background level, identify
local pollution hotspots, assess trans-boundary movement of pollution, and can
disseminate information on air quality index for daily alerts for public information.
This can generate more robust data on the key criteria pollutants including PM2.5
and ozone for the entire KMA area.
To estimate the number of monitoring stations for each ULB, CPCB in consultation
with SPCBs has set criteria for the installation of manual monitoring stations
(NAMP) and continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) in
2018. To strengthen the criteria, it has included population along with different
profile activities such as transport, commercial, industry, etc. (see Table 1a: Air
Quality Monitoring network design criteria). This population-based framework
requires minimum four stations for 1,00,000- 5,00,000 of population, six stations
for 5,00,000- 10,00,000, eight stations for 10,00,000- 50,00,000, and 16 stations
for cities with population greater and equal to 50,00,000 of population. This
indicates requirement of manual and real time monitoring. (see Table 1b: Number
of monitoring stations in Municipality and Municipal Corporation area of KMA)
Table 1 a: Air Quality Monitoring network design criteria

Population Minimum No. of manual station under Minimum no of proposed CAAQMS Total
(Census 2011) NAMP
1,00,000- 1-Background 1-Residential 4
<5,00,000 2-Residential/ Commercial
<10,00,000 2-Residential/ Commercial 1-Traffic dominant area
1-Commercial
<50,00,000 2-Residential/ Commercial 1-Traffic dominant area
1-Commercial
1-Industrial
>= 50,00,000 1-Background in upwind direction 4-Residential 16
1-Background in downwind direction 3-Traffic dominant area
2-Residential/ Commercial 3-Commercial
2-Industrial
Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) air quality monitoring network guidelines, 2018. (https://greentribunal.gov.in/sites/
12 default/files/all_documents/Report%20in%20OA%20no%20681%20of%202018%20AQM.pdf)

Table 1b: Number of monitoring stations in Municipality and Municipal
Corporation area of KMA
Sr. Municipality Current no. of Population Minimum no. of monitoring
No. monitoring stations (as per stations required
Census
Real-time Manual Real-time Manual Total
2011)
1 Baidyabati Municipality 0 0 1,21,110 1 3 4
2 Bally Municipality 1 0 2,93,373 1 3 4
3 Bansberia Municipality 0 1 1,03,920 1 3 4
4 Baranagar Municipality 0 1 2,45,213 1 3 4
5 Barasat Municipality 0 1 2,78,435 1 3 4
6 Barrackpore Municipality 0 1 1,52,783 1 3 4
7 Baruipur Municipality 0 0 53,128 1 3 4
8 Bhadreswar Municipality 0 0 1,01,477 1 3 4
9 Bhatpara Municipality 0 0 3,83,762 1 3 4
10 Bidhannagar Municipal 1 6 2,15,514 1 3 4

Corporation (BMC)
11 Budge Budge Municipality 0 0 76,837 1 3 4
12 Champdany Municipality 0 0 1,11,251 1 3 4
13 Chandernagore Municipal 0 0 1,66,867 1 3 4

Corporation (CMC)
14 Dankuni Municipality 0 0 94,936 1 3 4
15 Dum Dum Municipality 0 0 1,14,786 1 3 4
16 Garulia Municipality 0 0 85,336 1 3 4
17 Gayeshpur Municipality 0 0 58,998 1 3 4
18 Halisahar Municipality 0 0 1,24,939 1 3 4
19 Hooghly-Chinsura 0 1 1,77,259 1 3 4
Municipality
20 Howrah Municipal 2 4 10,77,075 5 3 8
Corporation (HMC)
21 Kalyani Municipality 0 1 1,00,575 1 3 4
22 Kamarhati Municipality 0 0 3,30,211 1 3 4
23 Kanchrapara Municipality 0 0 1,20,345 1 3 4
24 Khardah Municipality 0 1 1,08,496 1 3 4
25 Kolkata Municipal 6 13 44,96,694 5 3 8

Corporation (KMC)
26 Konnagar Municipality 0 0 76,172 1 3 4
27 Madhyamgram Municipality 0 1 1,96,127 1 3 4
28 Maheshtala Municipality 0 0 4,48,317 1 3 4
29 Naihati Municipality 0 0 2,17,900 1 3 4
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Sr. Municipality Current no. of Population Minimum no. of monitoring

No. monitoring stations (as per stations required
Census
Real-time Manual Real-time Manual Total
2011)
30 New Barrackpore 0 0 76,846 1 3 4
Municipality
31 North Barrackpore 0 0 1,32,806 1 3 4
Municipality
32 North Dum Dum 0 0 2,49,142 1 3 4
Municipality
33 Panihati Municipality 0 0 3,77,347 1 3 4
34 Pujali Municipality 0 0 37,047 1 3 4
35 Rajpur-Sonarpur 0 0 4,24,368 1 3 4
Municipality
36 Rishra Municipality 0 1 1,24,577 1 3 4
37 Serampore Municipality 0 0 1,81,842 1 3 4
38 South Dum Dum 0 0 4,03,316 1 3 4

Municipality
39 Titagarh Municipality 0 0 1,16,541 1 3 4
40 Uluberia Municipality 0 1 2,22,240 1 3 4
41 Uttarpara-Kotrung 0 0 1,59,147 1 3 4
Municipality
Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) air quality monitoring network guidelines, 2018. (https://greentribunal.gov.in/sites/
default/files/all_documents/Report%20in%20OA%20no%20681%20of%202018%20AQM.pdf)
Status of air quality: The air quality data available from the existing real time and
manual monitors are indicative of the air quality in specific cities and also of the
KMA region. In Kolkata, there has been an overall improvement of 23 per cent
in PM2.5 concentration since 2019. Another 61 per cent reduction in the annual
average can help to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM2.5
(see Graph 1: Long-term trend in PM2.5 concentration in Kolkata).
Howrah shows a declining trend since 2019. Another 38 per cent reduction is
needed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality standards (see Graph 2: Long-
term trend in PM2.5 concentration in Howrah).
Additionally, Kolkata’s PM10 concentration has seen an overall improvement of

9 per cent since 2019. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM10 can
be met with an additional 53 per cent decrease in the annual average (see Graph
3: Long-term trend in PM10 concentration in Kolkata).
Howrah has been trending downward since 2019. In order to meet the national
ambient air quality criteria, another 53 per cent reduction is required (see Graph
4: Long-term trend in PM10 concentration in Howrah).
14

Graph 1: Long-term trend in PM2.5 concentration in Kolkata (2019-2021)
Note: Data from following CAAQM stations where continuous data is available: RB University and Victoria stations.
* Data up to August 21, 2022.
Source: CPCB real-time data
Graph 2: Long-term trend in PM2.5 concentration in Howrah (2019-2021)
Note: Data from following CAAQM stations where continuous data is available: Ghusuri and Padmapukur stations.
* Data up to August 21, 2022.
Graph 3: Long-term trend in PM10 concentration in Kolkata (2019-2021)
15

Graph 4: Long-term trend in PM10 concentration in Howrah (2019-2021)
Manual data available for only PM10 for a limited period of April, May and June
2022 provides an indicative trend. These monthly averages cannot be compared
with either 24-hour average or annual standards (see Graph 3: Trend in summer
PM10 concentration in KMA based on manual monitoring data).
Graph 5: Trend in summer PM10 concentration in KMA based on manual

monitoring data (April to June in 2022.)
Note: Monthly average (April–June) of city is based on mean of daily PM10 values recorded at manual stations of KMA.
Source: West Bengal Pollution Control Board
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Seasonal variation: The air quality trend in the region is highly seasonal. The
distribution of days according to the PM2.5 air quality index (AQI0 categories
show that the pollution increases substantially during winter. The PM2.5 level
begin to decline during end of October and worsens during late December (see
Graph 6: Seasonal trend in PM2.5 levels in KMA [month-wise, 2019–22]). This
happens because of the trapping of air and pollution due to lowering of the mixing
height of the air and cold and calm conditions.
Graph 6: Seasonal trend in PM2.5 levels in KMA (month-wise, 2019–22)
Note: Average PM2.5 concentration is based on mean of daily values recorded at seven CAAQM stations in Kolkata and three CAAQM
stations in Howrah that have adequate data for all four years. Cell colour is based on the official colour-scheme of AQI sub-categories.
Source: CPCB real-time air quality data (data up to October 6, 2022).
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): Smog episodes during winter require
implementation of Graded Response Action Plan. These are pre-defined emergency
measures for each category of National Air Quality Index (AQI) category that need
to be implemented during the days when the AQI reaches poor, very poor and severe
categories. Emergency action is needed to arrest the peaking of extreme pollution
during smog episodes when pollution is trapped due to atmospheric inversion and
cool and calm winds during cold winters. These measures help prevent adding
of more pollution when the natural ventilation index is low and pollution cannot
disperse. These are temporary measures. While during winter the enforcement
mechanism for all pollution sources including waste burning, construction,
traffic, industry, trucks, DG sets, solid fuel burning etc need to be strengthened
intensified with stringent monitoring, more restrictive measures targeting these
17

pollution sources are needed for the duration of the poor, very poor and severe
days. If the situation worsens then more action needs to be added progressively. A
Task Force on GRAP may be formed for monitoring of the situation and to plan
advance action as per the GRAP measures if air quality worsens.
Air-quality forecasting systems: As the NCAP programme now requires

implementation of graded response action plan to respond to high daily pollution
levels with emergency action, it is necessary to develop tool of air quality forecasting
system and early warning system for more preemptive and preventive action when
the air quality is expected to worsen or smog episodes prevail. This may be taken
forward.
Alternative methods for air-quality monitoring: With advancement in

technologies multi-dimensional air-quality monitoring has become possible.
Innovative approaches to air quality monitoring can open up new opportunities to
support ground level regulatory monitoring.
Satellite-based air quality monitoring: The State Pollution Control Board has
already initiated technical studies on air quality assessment based on satellite
remote sensing based estimation from satellite retrievals of Aerosol Optical
Depth. This can help to assess spatial and temporal data gaps in the KMA region
and capture the air quality gradient at regional to local. NCAP has also taken this
approach on board. This however does not replace the ground based regulatory
grade measurements as it requires validation from ground monitors. This helps
to improve the accuracy of the estimates, calibration and validation of data and
also provide a much larger regional level coverage that may not always be possible
with regulatory monitors. This may be taken forward for the larger regional
requirements.
Air-sensor-based monitoring: Air sensors that can be deployed in large

numbers as a network in a cost effective manner can help to bridge the gap in
data where regulatory monitoring is inadequate. NCAP has also taken on board
the application of such sensors and several state boards are considering their
deployment. However, Central Pollution Control Board have given clarification
to all state pollution control boards and state pollution control committees in its
advisory of March 25, 2022 that air quality data generation using any technology
including low cost sensors other than that specified in the NAAQS is not to be
18

used for regulatory purpose as its accuracy, linearity, reliability, and long-term
performance are not yet fully established.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has constituted a committee for
development of network of air quality monitoring to frame operational guidelines
and protocol for monitoring air quality. CPCB is considering a pilot study on air
sensors. The Bureau of Indian Standards is currently developing standards for air
sensors. However, CPCB has permitted the use of air sensors for other applications
like monitoring dust control measures in construction sites, on roads and in hot
spots etc.
3.2 Sources of air pollution

Robust air quality management requires detailed assessment of pollution sources
and their relative contribution to the pollution load as well as to the concentration
in ambient air. Currently, such source apportionment (SA) and the emission
inventory (EI) studies are available for Kolkata and Howrah.1 CSIR-National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) has conducted
a SA and EI study of the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah. The other two
studies released in 2020 and 2022 are an emissions inventory study of Kolkata
by SAFAR of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.2 This is a comprehensive
high‑resolution gridded emission inventory (see Table 2: Emissions inventory
study’ results for Kolkata and Howrah). Even though there are differences in
the results due to methodology, sources and data considered etc, they provide an
indicative range that can help to inform policies.
These studies broadly indicate that all the combustion sources together including
industry and thermal power plants, transport, household pollution, open burning,
hot mix plants together contribute more than 70 per cent of the total pollution
load in Kolkata and Howrah and the rest are dust pollution from roads and
construction. Similarly, SAFAR that has considered more diverse set of pollution
sources has found that the combustion sources together add up to more than 90
per cent of the pollution load. Vehicles and industry are among the key sources.
As a next step more comprehensive and detailed SA and EI study for the entire
KMA region can help to inform the policy and implementation strategy.
19

Table 2: Relative contribution of different pollution sources to the pollution load

as per the emission inventory studies for Kolkata and Howrah
Emission sources CSIR-NEERI (2019) Emission sources SAFAR (2022)
PM 2.5 emissions (MT/year) PM 2.5 emissions (MT/year)
Kolkata* (KMC) Howrah* KMC
Roads 10,03.3 729.0 Wind-blown road dust 1,051
Households 1,133.6 111.9 Transport 12,050
Transport 954.4 171.49 Industry 6,816
Industry 285.4 1439.51 Power plant 296
Construction 133.5 37.36 Household 427
Hot-mix plants 25.3 34.13 Slum 1,115
Open burning 273.3 208.49 Street vendor 825
Restaurants and 197.2 45.6 Crop residue burning 423

eateries
Thermal power 26.7 NA Cow dung 463
Ironing vendors 11.6 4.17 Diesel generators 3,652
Crematoria 9.0 3.38 Municipal solid waste 5,979

burning
Marine vessels 0.9 NA Construction 1,684
Incense sticks, mosquito 1,919

coils, cigarettes
Crematory 506
Total 4054.2 2,785.0 Total 37,206
* Registered vehicles (2004–18)
Seasonal variation: NEERI source apportionment study has further highlighted

the seasonal variation in the source contribution (see Table 3: Seasonal variation in
source contribution to PM2.5 concentration in Kolkata and Howrah: summer and
winter). This broadly indicates that the influence of combustion sources increase
and that of dust source decrease during winter including that of vehicles. A notable
observations is that the share of secondary particulates that form from gases from
combustion sources in the air is high and further increases during winter.
Based on this indicative profiling of the pollution sources, more target-oriented

source-wise mitigation strategies may be developed for the KMA region. But as a
next step a more comprehensive EI and SA studies may be developed for the entire
KMA region.
20

Table 3: Seasonal variations in source contribution to PM2.5 concentration in
Kolkata and Howrah: summer and winter
Summer Winter
Sources
Kolkata Howrah Kolkata Howrah
Coal combustion 22 7 9 11
Vehicle 22 19 25 31
Wood combustion 11 20 15 11
Road dust 10 10 1 2
Open burning 4 8 5 4
Agricultural waste
2 8 - 2
burning
Kerosene burning 2 1 -
Secondary aerosol 20 28 32 27
Unaccounted 7 -1 13 12
Source: National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), 2019. PM10 and PM2.5 Source Apportionment Study
and Development of Emission Inventory of Twin Cities Kolkata and Howrah of West Bengal. West Bengal Pollution Control Board,
Kolkata
The State Pollution Control Board may also develop and maintain a live and
independent inventory of all pollution sources in the KMA region for proper
planning action.
The future studies may also assess the regional movement of pollution and regional
influence on local air quality to refine regional level action in the KMA region. This
will help to assess the impact of upwind pollution sources on downwind areas. A
study by the Bose Institute released in 2021 shows that close to a quarter of the
PM2.5 load comes from outside Bengal.3 The NCAP has also highlighted the need
for the regional approach for an integrated action plan for improving air quality.
3.2.1 Action Plan: Air-quality monitoring and source assessment

Policy Sub-region Responsible Timeline
interventions agency Up to one year One to three Three to five
years years
Expand real Kolkata-Howrah WBPCB 50% of the To be completed
time air quality and Bidhannagar identified new as per the plan
monitoring for stations
more robust Prepare the 50% of the To be
coverage of Other ULBs of WBPCB plan and begin identified new completed as
population and land KMA implementation stations per the plan
uses
21

Policy Sub-region Responsible Timeline

interventions agency Up to one year One to three Three to five
years years
Introduce pollution KMA region WBPCB To be completed
forecasting system as per plan
Frame and Kolkata-Howrah WBPCB 
implement Graded and Bidhannagar
Response Action
Plan. Form To extend to 
Task Force for larger KMA area
monitoring of
situation and
planning advance
action based on
GRAP measures
Performance audit KMA region WBPCB 
of monitoring
systems for quality
control of data
Introduce KMA region WBPCB 
alternative
monitoring systems
(including satellite
based assessment)
Emissions inventory Update these WBPCB Initiate imple- To be com-
and source studies for Kol- mentation pleted
apportionment kata, Howrah
studies for the and Bidhan-
nagar
entire KMA
For entire WBPCB Initiate imple- To be com-
KMA region mentation pleted
3.3 Solid waste management

Open burning of waste and spontaneous fire in landfill sites and dumps contribute
substantially to ambient air quality as well as local exposures. This is one of the
major thrust areas for ULB action.
Currently, steps are being taken to inspect open burning and to respond to public
grievance. But the systemic solution to the problem is possible with a robust waste
management system built on 100 per cent collection, segregation, material recovery
and recycling to minimize use of dump sites and landfill sites. Without this system
waste will accumulate in open spaces and it will be burnt for easy disposal.
There are already a set of initiatives and regulatory programmes that are in place
such as Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 (SBM 2.0) and Nirmal Bangla programme,
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physical and financial progress monitoring tools of CPCB under NCAP and NGT
order for clean air in KMA. All these indicators need to be aligned to maximize
air quality gains and refine the initiatives across ULBs (see Table 2: Performance
indicators under different initiatives and regulatory tools for solid waste
management). These indicators are also in line with the objectives of Solid Waste
Management Rules 2016.
Under these programmes and particularly under SBM2.0 already targets and
mandates have been set for the ULBs. All ULBs have been mandated to remediate
legacy waste through bio mining, enforcement and incentives for segregation
through bylaw level interventions, augmentation of capacity for treatment–
processing–recycle–recovery to meet the existing and projected generation of
municipal solid waste and divert maximum waste from reaching the landfill. The
ULBs have been given the target to reduce landfilling of solid waste for a maximum
of 20 per cent by 2025.
Table 4: Performance indicators under different initiatives and regulatory tools

Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 CPCB NGT order KMA Plan
Source segregation Source segregation Segregation Source segregation
Door-to-door collection Collection system Treatment systems Door to door collection
Separate transportation Public awareness Segregated transportation
Waste processing Treatment Curb open burning Fresh waste management
• Wet (composting and • Wet (composting) • Composting
biomethanation) • Dry (recycling, refuse • Refuse derived fuel, co-
• Dry (recycling, refuse derived fuel processing
derived fuel, WTE) • Material recovery facility
Sanitary landfill Landfill management Legacy waste Legacy waste management
management (bio- (bio-mining)
mining)
Bulk waste generators Curb illegal dumping Engineered sanitary landfill
User fee Impose fine on open Solid waste bye-laws
burning
Bulk waste generators
Public awareness
This requires 100 per cent source segregation (wet and dry including plastic,
domestic hazardous waste from each household) 100 per cent door to door collection
of segregated waste from each household; 100 per cent scientific management
of all fraction of waste, minimal use of single use plastic, and digital tracking of
services. The focus is also on phased reduction of single use plastic. Time-bound
implementation of SBM2.0 can minimize the problem of waste burning.
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As dedicated funding is available for waste management under the 15th Finance
Commission and ULBs can also avail of performance linked Additional
Central Assistance (ACA) for managing legacy waste and additional treatment
infrastructure, this can be leveraged for clean air action. Disbursement of ACA
requires cities with less than 10 lakh population to complete bio remediation
by March 2024. The funding is linked with creation of additional facilities for
treatment and waste management performance. If cities do not achieve at least
60 per cent segregation by 2023, cities would not be entitled to receive further
additional central assistance. This therefore sets the target, mandate and the
timeline for all the ULBs in KMA.
This therefore requires an assessment of the current status of waste management

in the KMA area. The granular data shared by the ULBs have helped to provide
insight into the local imperatives.
Waste generation
Waste generation is closely linked to the population size and socio-economic
characteristics of a city. The higher the income profile in a city, the more is the
waste generation. KMA comprises 41 ULBs with a total population of 13,039,899
according to Census 2011. There are 2,908,844 households. The largest ULB in
KMA is Kolkata Municipal Corporation with a population of 44 lakh. It is followed
by Howrah (1,077,075), Bidhannagar (618,358) and Maheshtala (448,317)
according to Census 2011. Among the 41 ULBs of KMA, there are four municipal
corporations and rest are small and large size municipalities
Graph 7: Population of ULBs in KMA region

POPULATION
5000000 4496694
4500000
4000000
3500000
3000000
2500000
2000000
1500000
1000000
500000
0
HOOGHLY-CHINSURA…
HOWRAH MUNICIPAL…
KOLKATA MUNICIPAL…
UTTARPARA-KOTRUNG…
NORTH BARRACKPORE…
Chandannagar Municipal…
BIDHANNAGAR MUNICIPAL…
SERAMPORE MUNICIPALITY
NAIHATI MUNICIPALITY
RISHRA MUNICIPALITY
SOUTH DUM DUM MUNICIPALITY

GARULIA MUNICIPALITY
TITAGARH MUNICIPALITY
BAIDYABATI MUNICIPALITY
BALLY MUNICIPALITY
BANS BERIA MUNICIPALITY
BARRA CKPORE MUNICIPALITY
BARANAGAR MUNICIPALITY
BARASAT MUNICIPALITY
BARUIPUR MUNICIPALITY
BHADRESWAR MUNICIPA LITY
BHATPARA MUNICIPALITY
BUDGE BUDGE MUNICIPALITY
CHAPDANY MUNICIPA LITY

DANKUNI MUNICIPALITY
DUM DUM MUNICIPALITY
GAYES HPUR MUNICIPALITY

HALISAHAR MUNICIPALITY
KALYANI MUNICIPALITY
KAMARHATI MUNICIPALITY
KANCHRAPARA MUNICIPALITY
KHARDAH MUNICIPALITY
KONNAGAR MUNICIPALITY
MADHYAMGRAM MUNICIPALITY
MAHESHTALA MUNICIPALITY
NEW BARRACKPORE MUNICIPALITY
NORTH DUM DUM MUNICIPALITY

PANIHATI MUNICIPALITY
PUJALI MUNICIPALITY
RAJPUR-SONARPUR MUNICIPALITY
ULUBERIA MUNICIPALITY
Source: Census 2011
24

Status of solid waste management policy and bye-laws: The Department of Urban
Development and Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal has released the
Policy and Strategy on Solid Waste Management for Urban Areas of West Bengal
(further written as the state policy) post notification of the Waste Management
Rules 2016. The report identifies unscientific and uncontrolled disposal of waste
in open areas as key concern in the state. Lack of institutional capacity, financial
constraints, insufficient manpower and collection systems, lack of technology and
awareness level of the people are the other issues that have worsened the situation
in the state leading to severe public health and environmental risks.
The policy lays emphasis on sustainable waste management and generation

of revenue from biodegradable waste products such as compost and energy
(biogas or refuse derived fuel). Awareness campaigns and use of Information and
Map 3: ULB-wise waste generation in KMA
Source: Based on data provided by SUDA, KMC and Bally Municipality
25

Communication Technology (ICT) tools are also part of the policy to include as
much citizens as possible in the integrated waste management in the state.
Out of the 41 ULBs, Kolkata Municipal Corporation has notified bye-laws for solid
waste management in 2020. According to SUDA, solid waste bye-laws have been
drafted which are now awaiting legal vetting. Once vetted and notified, these bye-
laws will be adopted by all the ULBs of West Bengal.
Status of waste generation: The amount of waste produced depends on

socioeconomic factors, population density, culture, and climate. Improvement in
household incomes and increasing access to diverse consumer goods is resulting
in accelerated generation of solid waste.
KMA generates around 9291.26 tonnes per day (TPD) of fresh waste according
to SUDA. Kolkata Municipal Corporation generates the highest quantum of solid
waste with 4,590 TPD followed by Howrah Municipal Corporation with 911 TPD
(see Map 2: ULB-wise waste generation in KMA). Average waste generation in
KMA is 226.61 TPD. Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (350 TPD), South Dum
Dum Municipality (372 TPD) daily generate more than the average waste in KMA
(see Graph 8: ULB-wise per day total fresh waste generation and Map 3: ULB-wise
waste generation in KMA).
Graph 8: ULB-wise per day total fresh waste generation

Per day total fresh waste generation (TPD)
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
North Barrackpore
Baranagar
Bhadreswar
Konnagar
Rajpur-Sonarpur
Bansberia
Bhatpara
Kanchrapara
Champdany
Bidhan Nag ar MC
Howrah MC
Chandannagore MC
Hooghly Chinsurah
Khardah
Titagarh
Baidy abati
Dank uni
Dum Dum
Kalyani
Kamarhat i
Naihati
South Dum Dum

Madhyamgram
North Dum Dum

Panihat i
Pujali
Barrack pore
Budge Budge
Serampore
New Barrackpore
Baruipur
Gayeshpur
Halisahar
Garulia
Kolkat a
Maheshtala
Rishra
Uluberia
Ut tarparaKotrung
Bally
Barasat
26

On an average, per capita waste generation in ULBs of Kolkata Metropolitan
Area is 488.09 grams per day, while highest generation rate is demonstrated
by Kolkata municipal corporation (1,020.75 gram/person/day) and lowest by
Chapdany Municipality (171.32 gram/person/day). Other than Kolkata Municipal
Corporation, total sixteen municipalities are generating more than the average per
capita waste generation. Some of these ULBs are Barasat (699.5 TPD), Baranagar
(621 TPD), Howrah (668.6 TPD) MC and North Dumdum (648.8 TPD) (see
Map 4: Per capita per day solid waste generation). All ULBs are in the process of
identifying their bulk waste generators.
Map 4: Per capita per day solid waste generation
27

Coverage of door-to-door collection

According to the data submitted by the ULBs and compiled by SUDA, 24 ULBs
collect solid waste completely from the households’ doorsteps (see Map 5: Status
of door-to-door collection). The remaining 17 ULBs are doing partial door-to-door
collection.
Map 5: Status of door-to-door collection
28

Partial door-to-door collection in a ULB is reported when a few of the wards are able
to deploy door-to-door collection. Among the 17 ULBs that have partial door-to-
door collection, Pujali, Panihati, Barrackpore and Howrah Municipal Corporation
are conducting door-to-door collection in less than 25 per cent of their wards (see
Graph 9 : ULB- wise type of door-to-door collection in KMA). The remaining ULBs
are collecting waste from doorsteps in more than half of their wards.
Graph 9: ULB-wise type of door-to-door collection in KMA
Ut ta rpara Kotrung
Uluberia
Tita garh
South D um D um
Serampore
Rishra
Rajpur-Sona rpur
Pujali
Panihat i
North D um D um
North Barra ckpore
New Ba rrackpore
Naiha ti
Maheshta la
Madhyamgram
Konnaga r
Kolkat a
Kha rdah
Kanchrapara
Kamarhat i
Kalyani
Howra h MC
Hooghly Chinsurah
Ha lisahar
Ga yeshpur
Ga rulia
Dum Dum
Da nk uni
Cha ndannagore MC
Cha mpdany
Budge Budge
Bidhan Nag ar MC
Bha tpara
Bha dreswa r
Baruipur
Barrack pore
Barasat
Baranaga r
Bansberia
Bally
Baidy abati
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Complete partial
29

Waste streams as per collection

MSW in Kolkata Metropolitan area is largely inventorized as wet waste, dry waste
and hazardous materials. Around 60 per cent of the MSW is wet waste, 38 per cent
is dry waste, and remaining 2 per cent is hazardous waste according to SUDA (see
Graph 10: Composition of solid waste in KMA).
Graph 10: Composition of solid waste in KMA
Hazardous waste
2%
Dry waste
38% Wet waste
60%
Graph 11: ULB-wise waste generation with their proportion of waste

The
600 data shared by SUDA also reveals that the wet waste dominates the total
solid waste in KMA, which ranges from 40 per cent to 80 per cent of the total
waste
500
(see Graph 4: ULB wise waste generation with their proportion of waste).
There are two ULBs—Uttarpara and Konnagar—where the proportion of dry
400
waste is higher than the wet waste (see Map 6: ULB wise waste generation with
their
300
proportion of waste).
Graph
200
11: ULB-wise waste generation with their proportion of waste
100
0
Champdany
Howrah MC
Bidhan Nagar MC
Chandannagore MC
Titagarh
Hooghly Chinsurah
Khardah
Dankuni
Dum Dum
Kalyani
Kamarhat i
Naihati
Panihat i
Pujali
South Dum Dum

Madhyamgram
Serampore
Barrackpore
Budge Budge
New Barrackpore
North Barrackpore
Baranagar
Baruipur
Bhadreswar
Gayeshpur
Halisahar
Konnagar
Rajpur-Sonarpur
Bansberia
Bhatpara
Garulia
Kanchrapara
Kolkat a
Maheshtala
Rishra
Uluberia
UttarparaKotrung
Bally
Barasat
Baidy abati
North Dum Dum
Per day Total Fresh Wet Waste Generation (TPD)

Per day Total Fresh Dry Waste Generation (TPD)
Per day Total Fresh Hazardous Waste Generation (TPD)
30

Map 6: ULB-wise waste generation with their proportion of waste
Closed & Reclaimed land
Status of segregation
ULBs in KMA are prioritizing source segregation and segregated collection
and transportation of MSW. The efforts include delineation of model wards to
demonstrate segregation in rest of the wards and public awareness campaigns.
ULBs are distributing posters that guide people on how to segregate their waste
at source (see Figure 1: Posters distributed in Madhyamgram to guide people on
segregation). The ULBs are also distributing green and blue bins to enable this.
Municipal waste collectors are trained to encourage residents to segregate waste
or in some cases not take unsegregated waste from the residents.
31

Figure 1: Posters distributed in Madhyamgram to guide people on segregation
Source: Madhyamgram Municipality
A few ULBS like Baidyabati, Barrackpore, North Barrackpore, Bhadreswar,

Chapdany, and Uttarpara are collecting waste fully in a segregated manner. Four
ULBs—South Dum Dum, Rajpur-Sonarpur, Rishra, North Dum Dum—collect
96 per cent of their generated waste in a segregated manner. Baranagar, Dum
Map 7: ULB-wise percentage of segregation
32

Dum, Kamarhati, Konnagar and New Barrackpore are collecting more than 80
per cent of their waste in a segregated manner (see Map 7: ULB-wise percentage
of segregation).
The data shows that smaller ULBs are able to achieve better segregated collection
than the larger ULBs. For instance, Baidyabati, Barrackpore, Bhadreswar,
Bhatpara, Chandannagore MC, North Barrackpore, and Uttarpara Kotrung are
small waste generators of KMA that are conducting 100 per cent segregated waste
collection (see Graph 12: ULB-wise waste generation and percentage of waste
collected in segregated manner).
Graph 12: ULB-wise waste generation and percentage of waste collected in

segregated manner
Collection and transportation

West Bengal has been working to improve its solid waste collection and
transportation as part of its Nirmal Bangla Mission. Under the mission, the states
has employed Nirmal Bandhus and Nirmal Saathis to enable implementation of
solid waste management rules 2016. Nirmal Bandhus collect waste from door-
to-door and are supervised by Nirmal Saathi. Nearly 250–350 households are
covered by one Nirmal Bandhu. And one Nirmal Saathi supervises upto 6 Nirmal
Bandhus. Nirmal Saathis report to the Ward Supervisor which reports to the
Sanitary Inspector. The appointed Nirmal Saathis are women who are also a part
of self-help groups formed and organized under the West Bengal government’s
Anandadhaara Mission. This practice is a good example to demonstrate linking of
two missions and achieving their goals.
33

Figure 2: Nirmal Saathis in Madhyamgram taking training on segregated waste

collection
Source: Madhyamgram Municipality
Figure 3: Nirmal Saathis in Budge Budge Municipality
According to West Bengal’s solid waste policy, all Municipal Towns have been
provided with either paddled tricycle (PTC) or stationary compactors for proper
transportation and disposal at the dumping sites. A few (large) ULBs have been
provided with battery operated hydraulic tipper for collection in areas with
narrow roads.
34

Primary modes of waste collection are PTCs which may or may not be
compartmentalized (see Figure 4). Some of the ULBs fit four 40 litre capacity
blue and 40 litre capacity four green bins to collect waste in a segregated
manner. Capacity of each PTC is roughly 320 litres (see Figure 6). PTC transfers
collected waste to secondary collection points/vehicles or transfer stations (see
Figure 5). Overall, collection and transportation to dumpsites is taken care of by
fuel operated tippers, hopper tippers and tractors, majorly secondary collection
vehicles. Capacity of fuel operated tippers (FOT) varies from 3000–4000 litres.
Currently, ULBs are assessing their need for more primary or secondary collection
vehicles. This requirement will be submitted shortly to SUDA for either sanction
of funds or allotment of vehicles.
Figure 4: Non-compartmentalized primary collection vehicles (left);

compartmentalized primary collection vehicle in Madhyamgram (right)
Figure 5: Secondary collection vehicles
35

Figure 6: Paddle tricycle (PTC)
Waste disposal
The collected waste is taken to designated dumpsites. Each ULB has at least one
designated dumpsite while some have two dumpsites. Some of the ULBs share
a dumpsite as part of a cluster approach. KMA has total 36 dumpsites within
the ULB boundaries. The biggest dumpsite —Dhapa—is currently used by both
Kolkata and Bidhannagar. Pramodnagar dumpsite located within the boundary
of North Dum Dum currently caters to five ULB: Dumdum, South Dumdum,
North Dum Dum, New Barackpore and Baranagar (see Map 8: Location of
dumpsites in KMA).
Baidyabati, Chapdany, Konnagar, Rishra, Sreerampore and Uttarpara use the

Baidyabati Regional waste management centre (RWMC) for disposal. Uttarpara
is the farthest municipality in Baidyabati RWMC cluster. A vehicle has to travel
minimum 22 km to reach the waste management site.
Naihati municipality has three separate dumping grounds with a combined area
of 23.94 acre. ULBs like Bansberia, Bhatpara, Gayeshpur, Kalyani and Ulluberia
have two dumping grounds within their boundaries.
These old dump sites are understood as mainly un-engineered disposal areas that
need remediation to prevent leaching into the soil and water, methane emissions
and a threat to public health. Bhatpara has recently constructed a sanitary landfill
that is equipped with all required infrastructure and is yet to commission.
Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation is looking for a new dumpsite as Dhapa is

scheduled to close by 2024.
36

Map 8: Location of dumpsites in KMA
Waste treatment
Kolkata Metropolitan area has two types of waste processing units—interim
central processing unit (Interim CPU) and permanent central processing unit
(Permanent CPU). Interim CPU is a manual waste processing unit. Nirmal
Bandhus segregate the waste manually at this waste processing unit. According to
SUDA, some of the Interim CPUs have (pit or windrow) composting facilities (see
Figure 7: Windrow beds in Chandannagar covered due to rains). According to the
SUDA officials, permanent CPUs are not feasible where the incoming waste feed
is less than 30 TPD.
37

Figure 7: Windrow beds in Chandannagore covered due to rains
Figure 8: Composting at the dumpsite in Madhyamgram
Permanent CPU, on the other hand, processes waste using machinery such as
conveyor belts and compacters (see Figure 9: Hydraulic tipper and conveyor
belt at Baidyabati RWMC). Permanent CPU is operational in a few towns, such
as Kolkata MC, Bally and Baidyabati municipality (Baidyabati RWMC caters to
Kamarati, Konnagar, Sreerampore, Chapdany and Baidyabati) (see Map 9: Types
of waste-processing units).
38

Figure 9: Hydraulic tipper and conveyor belt at Baidyabati RWMC
Map 9: Types of waste-processing units
39

Legacy waste treatment

Dhapa is largest dumpsite in KMA. It has nearly 40 lakh tonne of legacy waste in
60 hectares of land as per the State of Environment report of West Bengal 2021. It
is scheduled to close by 2024. Kolkata has another dumpsite at Garden Reach that
is closed for fresh waste disposal. Other than these two, there are 36 dumpsites in
KMA that have a total of 3,884,478 MT of legacy waste according to SUDA (see
Map 10: Legacy waste at dumpsites in KMA).
Map 10: Legacy waste at dumpsites in KMA
40

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has set 2024 target for bio-mining and
treatment of the entire legacy waste at Dhapa landfill site by gradual development
of infrastructure for waste processing. A total of 640,080 MT of legacy waste has
been processed till date since January 3, 2020 (see Table 5: ULB-wise details of
dumpsites and Table 6: ULB wise details of dumpsites). Trommels with a capacity
of 600 TPD are installed at the site for bio-mining. 300 KLD leachate Treatment
Plant is also set up at Dhapa to receive the leachate water from the landfill sites. As
per the report shared by KMC (August 2022), Dhapa has 35 hectare of land that is
yet to be bio-mined. This is the land that is currently used by both KMC and BMC.
Almost one fourth of the Dhapa dumpsite has been reclaimed by bio-mining as
per SOE report 2021 (see Map 10: Location of active and closed MSW dumping
ground at Dhapa in KMA).4
Map 11: Location of active and closed MSW dumping ground at Dhapa in KMA
Dhapa dumping ground currently

in use
Source: State of environment report- II West Bengal 2021
41

Table 5: ULB-wise details of dumpsite area and legacy waste

No. of Estimated quantity Quantity of legacy waste
Area
ULB dump of legacy waste (in Target date of completion processed till date
(in acre)
sites tonne) (tonne)
Barasat 1 3.50 67,990 February 2023 3,950.00
Barrackpore 1 5.00 72,846 October 2022 52,855.00
Baruipur 1 2.30 19,685 September 2022 34,591.00
Bhatpara 2 16.55 58,260 September 2022 38,458.50
Budge Budge 1 3.48 20,721 September 2022 Process completed
Chandannagore MC 1 5.20 2,15,916 March 2023 67,020.42
Garulia 1 3.00 52,449 November 2022 10,580.00
Gayeshpur 2 5.00 12,465 January 2023 8,900.00
Halisahar 1 1.05 6,799 September 2022 397
Hooghly Chinsurah 1 6.50 126,266 March 2023 10,947.13
Kalyani 2 14.00 60,543.00 January 2023 44,815.45
Kanchrapara 1 5.00 24,282 September 2022 9,250.00
Khardah 1 4.29 46,118 December 2022 0.00
Madhyamgram 1 7.17 116,068 February 2023 29,770.00
Maheshtala 1 19.61 230,517 March 2023 68,250.00
Panihati 1 1.90 51,767.35 December 2022 Claim as per outgoing
Rajpur-Sonarpur 1 10.00 20,512.64 December 2022 0.00
Titagarh 1 5.00 120,886 December 2022 9,580.00
Uluberia 2 13.77 28,394 June 2022 21,295.5
Bidhannagar MC 1 54.98 300,000 June 2023 174,238.69
Baranagar 240,000
Dum Dum
New Barrackpore 1 22.68 854,726 April 2024
North Dum Dum
South Dum Dum
Kamarhati 1 8.00 155764 December 2023
Naihati 3 23.94 300,000.00 March 2023
Bhadreswar 1 0.42 14,238 December 2023
Dankuni 1 2.40 48078 December 2023
Baidyabati
Champdany
Rishra
1 52.00 220,794 December 2023
Serampore
Uttarpara Kotrung
Konnagar
Bansberia 2 2.79 7,354.00 December 2023
Howrah MC 1 21.99 961,567 December 2023
Bally 1 3.00 11,655 December 2023
42

Table 6: Legacy waste processing details of dumpsites in KMA ULBs
% physical
Quantity of Quantity of good Quantity of Quantity of
progress
No. of RDF fraction earth fraction inert fraction total fractions % of land
excluding
ULB dump removed from removed from removed from removed from reclaimed
spalling
sites site site site site (as on date)
wastage and
(tonne) (tonne) (tonne) (tonne)
moisture
Barasat 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0
Barrackpore 1 6,280.00 30,810.00 13,150.00 50,240.00 68.97 20
Baruipur 1 6,531.73 6,428.78 16,491.64 29,452.15 149.62 30
Bhatpara 2 2,488.50 15,757.50 5,340.00 23,586.00 53.98 45
Budge Budge 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0
Chandannagore
1 4,990.00 10,790.54 20,456.76 36,237.30 16.79 25
MC
Garulia 1 10,508.00 10,508.00 20.04 5
Gayeshpur 2 418.30 5,342.15 2,754.15 8,514.60 20
Halisahar 1 215.00 182.00 397.00 5.84 2
Hooghly Chinsurah 1 0.00 1,094.10 293.87 1,387.97 1.1 0
Kalyani 2 574.08 16,631.4 12,707.75 29913.23 20
Kanchrapara 1 6,125.00 3,125.00 9,250.00 38.1 2
Khardah 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0
Madhyamgram 1 479.00 15,162.00 7,515.00 23,156.00 19.96 5
Maheshtala 1 11,450.00 32,456.00 19,865.00 63,771.00 27.67 25
Panihati 1 130.35 215.00 135.00 480.35 0.93 0
Rajpur-Sonarpur 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0
Titagarh 1 442.00 1,025.00 1,675.00 3,142.00 2.6 0
Uluberia 2 631.365 6,601.5 12,244.5 19,477.365 91.47 98
Bidhannagar MC 1 26,743.70 76,732.92 15,408.88 118,885.50
Baranagar 4.84
Dum Dum
New Barrackpore 1 55,509.32 15,098.44 108,022.43
North Dum Dum
South Dum Dum
Kamarhati 1
Naihati 3
Bhadreswar 1
Dankuni 1
Baidyabati
Champdany
1
Rishra
Serampore
43

% physical
Quantity of Quantity of good Quantity of Quantity of
progress
No. of RDF fraction earth fraction inert fraction total fractions % of land
excluding
ULB dump removed from removed from removed from removed from reclaimed
spalling
sites site site site site (as on date)
wastage and
(tonne) (tonne) (tonne) (tonne)
moisture
Uttarpara Kotrung
Konnagar
Bansberia 2
Howrah MC 1
Bally 1
98,573.70 291,404.21 146,442.99 536,420.90 497.07 297.00
Observations from ground assessment

• Model solid waste bye-laws have been prepared by SUDA in light of the
Solid Waste Management Rules 2016. This will be adopted by all ULBs post
notification.
• ULBs are working on quantifying their wet and dry waste fractions at ward
level. Standardized protocol for sampling to generate data on quantum and
composition of
• Need to improve rate of segregation, processing and treatment. Improve
material recovery from individual waste streams (wet, dry)
• Further expansion of waste collection and transport infrastructure is needed
in all ULBs.
• Need more comprehensive identification and notification of bulk waste
generators and their on-site processing plants for organic waste.
• Several ULBs have set and are collecting user charges from bulk waste
generators.
• Several ULBs have finalized work orders for fresh waste processing.
• Large quantities of refuse derived fuels (RDF) are becoming a logistic challenge
as West Bengal does not have factories for co-processing. This needs to be sent
to neighbouring states. Quality control and standardization of RDF will be
important.
• ULBs like Chandannagar and Budge Budge have appointed self-help group
(SHG) workers as Nirmal Bandhu and Nirmal Saathi for waste collection,
transportation and IEC activities. Training of these workers needs to be linked
with skilling and livelihood programmes like Anandadhaara and ITIs.
• Micro-planners are engaged at ULBs to promote and aide segregated
collection through Nirmal Bandhus and saathis. They train people, conduct
site inspections and also identify the need for infrastructure.
44

• Need revenue model to make management economically unsustainable (like
bio CNG plant, etc.)
• Overall thrust is to create processing and treatment facilities in dump sites to
utilize the space. Models of decentralized waste management is constrained
due to limited land availability.
• Wherever feasible decentralized material recovery facility cum micro
composting sites can be set supported by informal sector to channelize
recyclables to the local level aggregators
• Given the lack of public support for segregation it may be useful to incentivize
source segregation through property tax rebate—additional rebate to promote
home composting
• Impose landfill tax to disincentivized dumping (complementing redesigned
concessionaire agreement)
• Create regional sanitary landfill site for a cluster of cities—set a threshold to
landfill maximum 20 per cent of total generation by 2025 following SBM 2.0
mandate—the cost for construction and O&M of sanitary landfill site to be
borne by all the ULBs in proportion of the quantity brought for landfilling
• Use RFID/GPS based technology for real time monitoring of BCC/source
segregation performance for course correction
• Campaign for behaviour change communication (BCC) issue
• ULBs need institutional strengthening and staff.
• Adopt enabling mechanism to incentivize solid waste management: To
eliminate the problem of open burning of solid waste the ULBs need to adopt
the following strategies at a scale.
• Decentralized ward based waste management—wherever possible—can
provide a range of benefits including reduced transportation requirement and
costs to landfill; leachate generation to be lower in decentralized facilities;
better uptake by the compost generators; easy to operate and maintain; and
revenue from marketing of composts
• Develop incentives—declare garbage free wards, awards/recognition’ declare
champions
• To focus on information-education-communication and behavior change
• This will require monitoring. GPS, GIS, and global system for mobile
communication to track collection vehicles, record keeping of waste received,
processed, disposal etc, apps for public grievance and redressal, etc.
• PPP model for operations and maintenance of treatment facilities need to be
looked.
• ULB can provide land for processing facility, monitoring, and performance
evaluation of the concessionaire Have performance based contract.
45

Integrate informal sector especially self-help groups and women

• Need alternative plan for management of fresh waste—need to reduce dumping
of fresh waste when legacy waste is being bio-mined;
• Tendering needs to be composite to cover all aspects of remediation including
appropriate method of treatment, stabilization;
• Need assessment of waste, bore hole testing, leachate and gas generation; and
• Lack of sanitary landfill site for safe disposal of inert and rejects.
Need dumpsite monitoring

• Remediation of legacy dumpsite as per the requirements of Nirmal Bangla/
SBM 2.0 within the timeline.
• Scientific landfill to be used only for inert negligible amount of residual wastes.
• Process and divert 90–100 per cent fresh wet (biodegradable) waste from
dumpsites.
• Map and legally mandate Bulk Waste Generators to carry out in-situ
management of waste (as per MSW Rules, 2016)
• Fix the timeline to stop dumping of fresh waste
• Set up ward-wise material recovery facility cum micro composting sites based
on estimation of waste generation; engage informal sector
• Timeline for 100 per cent door-to-door collection of segregated waste in each
ward
• Define strategy for remediation of legacy waste (e.g., road building, bio-CNG
plant that can earn revenue for the municipality etc)
• Public redressal system: Helpline for complaints related to dust and response
strategy (e.g. Bhatpara Municipality app available at Google play store).
• To eliminate open burning sites include all locations of waste dumps (both
legal and illegal) prone to burning and identify and action taken to eliminate
the problem.
46

3.3.1 Action Plan: Municipal solid waste
Action Sub- Responsible Timeline
regions authorities
Up to one One to Three
yr three to five
years years
Segregated door-to-door collection: Kolkata, KMC,HMC To be
• Target 100 per cent door-to-door collection coverage of Howrah and BMC completed
households in each ward Bidhan
• Target 50 per cent wards to have complete door-to- nagar
door collection
• Target 50 per cent wards to have complete door-to-
door segregated waste collection within six months KMA
• Target 75 per cent door-to-door segregated waste 
collection within nine months
• Target 100 per cent segregated door-to-door waste
collection within 12 months.
• Ensure guaranteed service for door-to- door collection
• Create system for collection of segregated waste—
collect wet waste daily and designate days for
collection of dry and other streams of non-recyclable
waste
• Impose penalty for unsegregated waste
Organize informal waste pickers into cooperative for

door to door segregated collection and to channelize
recyclables to the local level aggregators.
Notify collection points and set up material recovery and KMA ULB To be
processing centres: SUDA completed
• Notify areas for secondary collection of segregated KMDA
waste
• Set up material recovery facility and micro
composting sites for further treatment and
decentralized waste management as per plan
• Engage informal sector to channelize recyclables to
the local level aggregators
• Use RFID/GPS based technology for real time
monitoring of source segregation performance for
course correction
Bulk waste generators: KMA ULBs To be
• Map bulk waste generators (hotels, institutions, gated completed
residential communities, etc.) and enforce the bye-
laws to ensure in-situ management (this will reduce
the burden of door-to-door collection)
• Make bulk waste generators liable for
segregation, processing etc.
To identify bulk waste generators not registered/ have KMA ULB To be
not hired agencies for collection and management of completed
waste or have not entered into agreement with RSM for
waste collection
Decentralized waste management for hotels,
apartments, and institutions as per Solid Waste
Management Rules, 2016.
Implement provisions of Solid Waste Management
Rules 2016 to implement penal provisions to spot fine
on waste burning.
Strictly ban open burning of hazardous industrial waste.
47

Action Sub- Responsible Timeline

regions authorities
Up to one One to Three to
yr three five years
years
Target to divert 90 per cent of fresh waste from KMA ULB 
dumpsites: SUDA KMDA
• Impose ban on landfilling of wet waste and
combustible waste
• Divert all fresh wet (biodegradable) waste from
reaching the dumpsite by local level treatment—
adopt decentralized model in collaboration with
private agencies in PPP mode
• Divert dry waste by taking them to material recovery
centres
Amend bye-laws as per the Solid Waste Management KMA ULBs 
Rules and Regulations:
• Implement provisions of Extended Producers
Responsibility (EPR) for collection and recycling of
plastic waste
• Impose stringent emission monitoring in the
dumpsites—focusing on leachate treatment and
disposal of bio-mined legacy waste for gainful
application
• Strengthen monitoring of incineration- based
technologies (waste-to-energy plants) for energy
production
Legacy waste in dumpsite: KMA SUDA KMDA To be
• Speed up remediation of legacy dumpsite and 100 completed
per cent remediation by 2024 (as per Nirmal Bangla/ as per
SBM2.0 funding mandate). SBM 2.0
• Reclaim land from existing dumpsites by setting up timeline
waste treatment / processing facilities—explore PPP
based revenue model
• Scientific landfill to be used only for inert negligible
amount of residual wastes
• Revenue model based on waste recycling and
remediation to be adopted—e.g. bio CNG plants etc.
• Impose landfill tax to disincentivize dumping
(complementing redesigned concessionaire
agreement)
• (SBM 2.0 mandate and threshold for landfill is
maximum 20 per cent of total generation by 2025).
• Create regional sanitary landfill site for a cluster of KMA SUDA KMDA  
cities—set a threshold to landfill maximum 20 per ULB
cent of total generation by 2025 following SBM
2.0 mandate. The cost for construction and O&M of
sanitary landfill site to be borne by all the ULBs in
proportion of the quantity brought for landfilling.
Waste processing
48

Action Sub-regions Responsible Timeline
authorities
Up to one yr One to three Three to
years five years
• Set up ward-wise material recovery KMA ULB 
facility cum micro composting sites SUDA KMDA
based on estimated waste generation
Expediting the timelines for completion

of infrastructure works and capacity
enhancement related to waste processing
facilities in cities based on proper
estimation of waste generation and
by aiming for 100 per cent source
segregation.
Concessionaire agreement based on KMA ULB 
segregated waste SUDA KMDA
• Engage concessionaire only on the basis
of segregated quantity of waste, treated
or processed.
• Redesign concessionaire agreement to
pay on the basis of treated quantity
Plastic ban KMA ULB 
Enforce plastic ban as per the Plastic Rules SUDA KMDA
and Regulations
Minimize need for waste to energy plants WBPCB
SUDA KMDA
ULBs
Enforcement on waste burning KMA ULBs 
• Enforce a complete ban on waste
burning, both industrial and municipal
solid waste in municipal and industrial
area
• Formation of a task team to review
and monitor waste burning issues.
identify potential hotspots and initiate
administrative actions
• Enforce a complete ban on waste
burning and dumping of municipal solid
waste in residential, commercial and
industrial areas
• Review and monitor waste burning
issues. Identify potential hotspots and
initiate administrative actions
Public communication and awareness KMA ULBs 
• Create a toll-free helpline number to
receive complaints/ reports around
burning of waste.
• Awareness through WhatsApp groups,
Facebook. Newspaper advertisements in
all locally circulated daily.
• Public announcement (through miking)
in the residential colonies, markets and
migrants’ settlements to request the
citizens not to burn waste and the penal
provision
49

3.4 Construction and demolition waste and dust

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is a new waste stream in India. While
traditionally C&D waste has been collected mixed with the municipal solid waste,
C&D waste management rules 2016 mandate generators to segregate C&D waste
into at least four fractions: concrete, soil, steel, wood and plastics, bricks and
mortar. The rules also provide for generator to hand over the C&D waste to the
ULB and pay relevant charges among others. The rules provide for cities to prepare
their C&D waste bye-laws and generators to submit C&D waste management plan
while seeking building permissions. This section captures largely the interventions
related to C&D waste made by KMC as the other ULBs are in process to initiate
mechanisms for C&D waste management.
Policy and mandate: West Bengal has prepared and released a C&D waste policy
in 2022. It urges ULBs to prepare their C&D bye-laws and guides them to set up
collection systems for C&D waste. It has set a target to reach 50 per cent collection
of the generated C&D waste within 2 years of notification of the policy, 80 per cent
in the next two years and 100 per cent in another 1 year.
Among all the ULBs, Kolkata has notified solid waste bye-laws that include a few
provisions on C&D waste. The remaining ULBs are in the process of preparing
their waste bye-laws.
Collection: KMC vide a notification dated 12.06.2020 has provided a helpline

number and a mobile app to address queries related to environmental norms for
construction activity including C&D waste. Using the helpline, the citizens can
enquire about queries related to waste management and also place collection
request with the conservancy officer deputed in their respective ward.
The same notification dated 12.06.2020 released by KMC covers the duties of waste
generators in case of demolition. The waste generated from demolition needs to
be segregated on site into concrete, steel, wood, plastics, bricks and mortar and
reused. C&D waste is to be kept within premises and there should not be littering
of waste to avoid obstruction to traffic, public or drains.
Illegal dumping and penalties: According to KMC solid waste bye-laws, a fine
of Rs 5,000 will be levied upon all generators for not storing and delivering C&D
waste in segregated manner as per schedule B of KMC solid waste bye-laws
2020. In case of disposal of C&D waste and other waste in water body, roads and
pavements, a fine of Rs 5,000 will be levied for first time, followed by Rs 7,500 for
second violation and Rs 10,000 for every repeated violation. The user fee and fine
50

will automatically increase at the rate of 5 per cent per year with effect from 1st
January of each year.
Recycling facilities: The West Bengal C&D waste policy suggests setting up of
C&D waste plants in a cluster approach (see Map 12: ULB-wise recycling plant
clusters). In a cluster approach, multiple ULBs use a common facility for recycling
of C&D waste. Which ULBs should use a cluster facility may be decided based on
ease of access to the facility and its recycling capacity. There are 4 clusters falling
in KMA as per the policy (see Table 7: ULB-wise C&D waste recycling plants in a
cluster approach). Of these, the plant for Kolkata cluster is already procured and
the work order has been awarded to the concessionaire. The plant will be setup in
Patharghata at a 5 acre site. It will commence operations with a capacity of 500
TPD and will cater to the municipal areas of Kolkata and Bidhannagar.
Map 12: ULB-wise recycling plant clusters
Source: C&D waste management policy 2022
51

Table 7: ULB-wise C&D waste recycling plants in a cluster approach

No of Area (in sq.
District ULB Cluster mode plant
wards km)
Kolkata Kolkata MC 144 202
Cluster 1
North 24 Parganas Bidhannagar MC 41 65.5
Hooghly Chandannagore 33 22.03
Hooghly Hooghly-Chinsurah 30 17.29
Hooghly Chapdany 22 6.59
Hooghly Bhadreswar 22 8.28
Hooghly Bansberia 22 9.07
Hooghly Serampore 29 17.6
Hooghly Baidyabati 23 12.09 Cluster 2
Hooghly Rishra 23 6.48
Hooghly Konnagar 20 4.67
Hooghly Uttarpara-Kotrung 24 11.71
Hooghly Dankuni 21 19.5
Howrah Howrah MC 66 51.74
Howrah Uluberia 32 24.1
North 24 Parganas Baranagar 34 7.12
North 24 Parganas Dum Dum 22 5.2
North 24 Parganas North Dum Dum 34 26.45
North 24 Parganas South Dum Dum 35 16.05
North 24 Parganas Barasat 35 34.5
North 24 Parganas Madhyamgram 28 21.56
North 24 Parganas New Barrackpore 20 6.89
North 24 Parganas Bhatpara 35 33.96
North 24 Parganas Naihati 31 11.55 Cluster 3
North 24 Parganas Garulia 21 5.38
North 24 Parganas North Barrackpore 23 13.6
North 24 Parganas Halisahar 23 8.94
North 24 Parganas Kanchrapara 24 9.07
North 24 Parganas Panihati 35 19.38
North 24 Parganas Kamarhti 35 10.39
North 24 Parganas Khardah 22 6.87
North 24 Parganas Barrackpore 24 10.61
52

No of Area (in sq.
District ULB Cluster mode plant
wards km)
North 24 Parganas Titagarh 23 3.4
Nadia Kalyani 21 29.21
Nadia Gayeshpur 18 30
Nadia Haringhataa 17 35
South 24 Parganas Rajpur-Sonarpur 35 49.9
South 24 Parganas Baruipur 17 9.5
South 24 Parganas Joynagar Mazilpurb 14 5.8
South 24 Parganas Diamond Harbourc 16 10.36 Cluster 4
South 24 Parganas Maheshtala 35 44.16
South 24 Parganas Budge Budge 20 9.06
South 24 Parganas Pujali 16 8.32
Note: a, b, c ULBs not a part of KMA but will be catered to by the respective cluster
Source: C&D waste management policy 2022
Construction activity and C&D waste volume: KMA is undergoing tremendous

construction activity. An assessment of construction projects registered on the
West Bengal Housing Industry Regulatory Authority (WBHIRA) portal has
resulted that 125,987 tonnes of construction waste will be generated from these
projects. There are 258 projects in KMA that are registered with WBHIRA (see
Map 13: Construction projects in KMA). These are all active projects which have
completion due by 2027 as per their registration.
KMA will have to be prepared as this estimation includes only the projects with
a plot are of 500 sq. m and above and mostly residential buildings. Commercial
buildings, institutional buildings, industrial buildings, small scale construction
(<500 sq. m plot area), metro rail, roads and highways construction and demolitions
will generate C&D waste much above the estimate of 125,987 tonne.
For a closer to ground estimation, KMA needs to register even small-scale

construction, all land use and every demolition activity. For this, a web portal is
needed to which is to be accessed and monitored by ULBs. Each ULB needs to
mandate developers to register their projects on this portal. This will also improve
monitoring of sites for all related compliances.
53

Map 13: Construction projects in KMA
Source: Map created by CSE; WB HIRA
54

Checklist for dust control
Among all the KMA ULBs, only Kolkata and Howrah have amended their building
bye-laws to incorporate guidelines for dust control. For instance, Kolkata has
amended its General Undertaking of the Kolkata Municipal Building Rules 2009
vide notification no. 95/MA/O-C-4/3R-7/2017 dated 31/01/2019.5 Dust control
measures in the undertaking include wheel washing, limiting vehicle speed,
dust suppressants, green covers and disposal of C&D waste among others. Every
proponent seeking building permission submits this undertaking and is liable for
penalty on non-compliance found during site inspection as part of the building
approval process.
Observations
• Make developers responsible for good construction practices and dust control;
C&D waste management plan to be part of building permission.
• There is need for forecasting and designing for reducing waste during the pre-
construction stage. Substantial waste materials in construction project is due
to architects’ failing to design for waste strategies during the pre-construction
stage. It is necessary to account for waste in the design. This requires guidelines
or standards for on-site construction waste reduction and management during
construction phase. This is needed for of end-of-life waste recovery, recycling,
and circularity.
• Need proactive prevention of waste through on-site construction management.
Start by designing for waste mitigation during pre-construction phase itself
and have advance waste utilization plan on-site
• Other infrastructure projects like highway and roadwork where bituminous
material forms a considerable portion of the waste, also need recycling strategy.
• Need penalty for littering or illegal dumping;
• Lower taxes on recycled products and create public awareness.
• Monitoring frameworks with qualitative and quantitative milestones .
• Need to regulate demolition activities
• Develop fiscal strategies for dust control and C&D waste management
• Need operational guidebook and appropriate capacity building
55

3.4.1 Action Plan: C&D waste

Timeline
Sub- Responsible Up to One to Three
Action
region agency one three to five
year years years
Registration of all construction sites and their tracking on a web
portal:
• All construction sites (including RERA, EIA, plots above and below ULB,
500 sq. m) to be registered and uploaded on a web portal for All ULBs WBCPB 
tracking. SUDA,
• All construction agencies need to upload the dust control measures KMDA
adopted
• Register demolition projects
• Mandate reporting of waste-generation estimates and by sub-
streams for all building and demolition permits
Steps to control dust and on-site C&D waste management at the
construction sites:
• Implement dust control measures notified by the Central Pollution
Control Board (fencing and wind barriers, wheel washing and
misting with smog guns, etc) ULB,
• Segregated storage and collection of C&D waste. Deploy skips, All ULBs WBCPB 
forklifts and loader containers for lifting of C&D waste. SUDA,
• Improve collection by mandating categorization of C&D waste KMDA
generated into five major streams – concrete, bricks and mortar,
steel, wood and sand/soil. Announce adequate collection points
• CCTV cameras or other forms of surveillance
• Provide for on-site reuse of C&D waste
Transportation of C&D waste: ULB,
• Equip dedicated vehicles with GPS tracking systems to track routes WBCPB  
and dumping locations. All ULBs SUDA,
• Colour code C&D waste hauling fleet to improve surveillance. Ensure KMDA
covering of the vehicles carrying C&D waste.
Notify locations of collection and transfer stations and disposal
facilities to prevent illegal dumping:
• Notify and fence all transfer stations and disposal facilities
• Provide signages to inform general public of the official transfer ULB,
stations or disposal facilities. All ULBs WBCPB 
• Develop soak pits to collect silt and debris. Use this water for wheel SUDA,
washing. KMDA
• Develop green belt around the collection centres
• Minimize build-up of waste by scheduling frequent on-site reuse,
recycling or transfer.
Waste management plan for bulk generators: ULB
• Notify and mandate the requirement for a comprehensive waste All ULBs SUDA and  
management plan (WMP) from all bulk waste generators; KMDA
• Notify minimum percentage of C&D waste generated to be utilized
on-site
Regulating reuse of C&D waste:
Ensure environmentally safe reuse
Notify acceptable reuses of C&D waste based on environmental
impact of these; ULB
• Outlaw sale of C&D waste to non-construction projects; All ULBs SUDA,  
• Publish rates for sale of C&D waste for various reuses; KMDA
• C&D waste suitable for recycling should not be diverted for reuse WBPCB
such as refilling and backfilling;
Mandate prior approval for purchase of C&D waste for reclamation,
refill, and backfill. Link the approval with environmental clearance for
the project.
56

Timeline
Responsible
Action Sub-region agency Up to one One to Three
year three to five
years years
Amend municipal bye-laws and rules:
Amend city by-laws to include C&D waste management rules:
• Notify sub-streams of waste that buildings and infrastructure
construction and demolition projects would segregate
• Notify charges for collection, transportation, processing and
disposal of C&D waste, increase public awareness on the same.
• Notify fines and penalties for unlawful collection, transportation
and disposal
• Link building occupancy certificate, connection to utility All ULBs ULBs SUDA
services (electricity, water, gas and sewerage) with evidence of KMDA  
debris on-site recycling and/or disposal at designated sites;
• Notify incentives for waste reduction and on-site waste reuse
and recycling, link incentives to evidence of debris on-site
recycling and/or reduced amount disposed at designated sites.
• Link bulk generators’ license with non-compliance. For instance,
company license to be withheld for a specified period in case
of any violation
• Strengthen EIA regulation by ringfencing related expenditure
• Set up a separate C&D waste cell or unit with staff from both
buildings and solid waste departments
Medium to long term
Develop processing and recycling facility as shared facilities for

ULB clusters
• Set up centralized recycling facility for cluster of ULB
• Promote C&D waste processing technologies that leave minimum KMC, HMC, ULB SUDA
residue, less than one per cent of the waste processed. BMC KMDA  
• The plant should not be located in an ecologically sensitive area Other ULBs WBPCB
• A buffer zone of no development shall be maintained around the
processing and disposal facility, exceeding 5 tonnes per day of
installed capacity.
• Adopt ground level environmental regulation
• Mandate annual audit of to verify the functionality of the
facility.
Promote decentralized (on-site recycling) processing:
Generating more than 20 tonne or more in one day or 300 tonne
per project in a month) to setup on-site processing plants.
• Engage with the industry associations
• Provide facility to hire mobile recycling equipment by
either developing an inventory at the ULB or empanelling
entrepreneurs that provide this service
• Mandate bulk generators
Supporting market for recycled material
Mandate certain percentage of the material for all new
construction to be recycled material;
Mandate 100 per cent buyback for bulk generators if they send ULB SUDA
their waste to the recycling facility; KMDA  
Mandate recycling facility to sell recycled aggregates to
independent building product manufacturers; and Mandate
recycling facility to accept small purchase orders
Reduce taxes on recycled products
57

3.5 Vehicles and transport

The motorization level is highest in the KMA region with the key cities of Kolkata,
Howrah and Bidhannagar taking the lead (see Table 8: RTO-wise ULBs in the KMA
region). The available source assessment studies show that vehicles are major
contributory factors to the air quality of the key cities of Kolkata and Howrah. This
will require systemic changes to scale up public transportation strategies, walking
and cycling, vehicle restraint measures and urban planning strategies to reduce
traffic load, vehicle usage, congestion, travel distances and associated pollution.
Motorization trend: The information on vehicle registration is available RTO

wise and that indicates the pattern of motorization in the region.
Table 8: RTO-wise ULBs in the KMA region

RTO Name of ULB
(1) Barasat Barasat Municipality
Madhyamgram Municipality
(2) Barrackpore Baranagar Municipality
Barrackpore Municipality
Bhatpara Municipality
Dum Dum Municipality
Garulia Municipality
Halisahar Municipality
Kamarhati Municipality
Kanchrapara Municipality
Khardah Municipality
Naihati Municipality
New Barrackpore Municipality
North Barrackpore Municipality
North Dum Dum Municipality
Panihati Municipality
South Dum Dum Municipality
Titagarh Municipality
(3) Baruipur Baruipur Municipality
Rajpur-Sonarpur Municipality
(4) Hoogli Bansberia Municipality
Bhadreshwar Municipality
Chamdany Municipality
Chandannagar Municipal Corporation
Hooghly-Chinsura Municipality
(5) Howrah Bally Municipality
Howrah Municipal Corporation
58

RTO Name of ULB
(6) Kalyani Gayeshpur Municipality
Kalyani Municipality
(7) Kolkata PVD Budge Budge Municipality
Kolkata Municipal Corporation
Mahestala Municipality
Pujali Municipality
(8) Saltlake Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation
(9) Shrirampur Badyabati Municipality
Dankuni Municipality
Konnagar Municipality
Rishra Municipality
Serampore Municipality
Uttarpara-Kotrung Municipality
(10) Uluberia Uluberia Municipality
Kolkata-Howrah-Bidhannagar (Salt Lake): Kolkata, Howrah and Salt Lake

RTOs have a combined share of 45 per cent in-vehicle registration in KMA. This
is followed by Barasat, Barrackpore and Hooghly, among others (see Graph 13:
Number of vehicles registered during 2014–22 and Graph 10: Total registered
vehicles as per RTOs during 2014–22). Except the pandemic period when overall
vehicle registration had declined, the vehicle numbers have increased overall in
most RTOs of KMA. The vehicle stock is dominated by two-wheelers in nearly all
RTOs. Kolkata has a much higher share of cars. It may also be noted that while two-
wheeler registration has declined during the pandemic, the registration of cars has
remained high.
Graph 13: Number of vehicles registered during 2014–22
Source: Compiled from VAHAN database
59

Graph 14: Total registered vehicles as per RTOs during 2014–22
Two wheeler registrations have marginally declined in most RTOs during

pandemic impacted years. However in terms of numbers Kolkata is followed by
Barasat, Hooghly, and Barrackpore
Graph 15: Trend in two-wheeler registration in KMA
60

All ULBs indicate stable or increasing trend in registration of cars, however
compared to other RTOs, the number of registrations in Kolkata PVD are about
four to five times higher.
Graph 16: Trend in registration of cars in KMA
On the other hand public transport buses and para transit like the three wheelers
that are expected to provide the public transport service have declined steadily.
Almost all ULBs indicate decline in registration of three wheelers. All ULBs show
consistent decline in registration of buses (see Graph 17: Trend in registration of
buses in KMA and Graph 18: Trend in registration of three-wheelers in KMA).
Graph 17: Trend in registration of buses in KMA
61

Graph 18: Trend in registration of three-wheelers in KMA
Most ULBs indicate rising trend in registration of goods vehicles, although they
appeared to be impacted by the pandemic years however it is again picking up.
Graph 19: Trend in registration of goods vehicles in KMA
Electric vehicles: Currently, electric mobility is dominated by the e-rickshaws

that are more popular in smaller ULBs. During the period 2014 to 2022 Barasat
RTO has recorded the highest number of electric vehicles registered (46 per
cent) followed by Hooghly (14 per cent), Barrackpore (13 per cent), Howrah (13
per cent), Kolkata (6 per cent), among others (see Graph 20: Number of electric
vehicles registered in different RTOs of KMA). This is largely the reflection of the
domination of electric three wheelers.
62

Electric rickshaws are predominant electric vehicle category that is 77 per cent of
the electric vehicle fleet followed by two wheelers (14 per cent) in KMA (see Graph
21: Composition of electric vehicle registered in KMA).
Graph 20: Number of electric vehicles registered in different RTOs of KMA
Graph 21: Composition of electric vehicle registered in KMA
63

Even though the number of vehicles is increasing rapidly, majority of the population
is still using public transport, walk or cycle. Given the level of urbanization and
population growth, the travel trip generation is highest in this region especially
in the big cities of Kolkata and Howrah. Kolkata municipal corporation area that
inhabits 36 per cent of KMA’s population generates the highest number of daily
trips in the region. Kolkata alone generates 27 per cent of total trips generated
within KMA. Howrah, the second largest urban area within KMA, Bally and
Uluberia municipality together inhabits 13 per cent (HMC alone is 9 per cent) of
population of the region and generates 15 per cent trips in the region.
19 ULBs of North 24 Parganas with 31 per cent population generates 30 per

cent trips in KMA. 10 ULBs of Hoogly district inhabit 11 per cent population and
generate 11 per cent trips in KMA. Five ULBs of South 24 Parganas inhabits 8
per cent population and generates 10 per cent trips in KMA. Two ULBs of Nadia
district inhabits 2 per cent population and generate 7 per cent trips in KMA. How
these trips are carried by different modes determine the level of emissions from
commuting (see Graph 22: Trips made by people in KMA [all ULBs]).
Graph 22: Trips made by people in KMA (all ULBs)
Nadia
Hoogly
7%
11%
Kolkata
South 24 27%
10%
Howrah
North 24 15%
30%
How people commute within KMA

Districts with more urbanized area and with formal public transport like Kolkata
and Howrah reflect higher usage of buses whereas districts with less urbanized
ULBs reflect higher usage of sub-urban train for daily long distance commuting.
64

In Kolkata and Howrah respectively, about 22 per cent and 13 per cent people use
buses, in contrast to 3 per cent and 8 per cent trips by train. In contrast, in other
ULBs trips by train constitutes 17–22 per cent, and the share of buses is as low as 3
per cent (see Graph 23: Percentage of different modes of transport used commonly
by people in KMA [urban]).
Graph 23: Percentage of different modes of transport used commonly by

people in KMA (urban)
90%
80%
70%
3% 8% 17%
22% 17%
60%
19%
13% 4%
22% 11% 3%
50%
8%
40%
30%
46% 48%
2 0% 42% 42%
34% 36%
10%
0%
Kolkata Howrah North 2 4 South 2 4 Hoogly Nadia
NMT Personal Bus Train IPT ferry
Source: Modal split data from census of India 2011

Note: Data includes all ULBs
With regard to walking and cycling, 34 per cent of trips in Kolkata are walk trips
in contrast to very high share of walk and cycle trips in other ULBs. However,
proportion of walk trips in Kolkata is higher than other ULBs (see Graph 24:
Trips made on foot or cycle [urban]). This is an opportunity to build walking and
cycling infrastructure.
65

Graph 24: Trips made on foot or cycle (urban)
6 0%
50%
40%
20% 24% 29%

7% 20%
30%
16%
20%
27%
10% 23% 22% 21%
19% 19%
0%
Kolk ata Howrah North 24 South 24 Hoogly Nadia
On foot Bicycle

Share of trips by personal transport modes in Kolkata metropolitan area and its
ULBs are considerably lower than national average of 14 per cent. Barely 8 per cent
and 6 per cent trips in Kolkata and Howrah are undertaken by personal transport.
For smaller ULBs this usage is about 3–4 per cent. This should be tapped as an
opportunity to strengthen public transport and its intermediaries
Graph 25: Trips made by people in car and two-wheeler in KMA

8%
7%
6%
4% 1%
5%
3%
4%
1% 2%
3% 2%
5%
2% 4%
3% 3% 3%
1% 2%
0%
Kolk ata Howrah North 24 South 24 Hoogly Nadia
Two wheeler Four wheeler

Note* - Data includes all ulbs
66

Average distance people travel daily in KMA
On average, for all ULBs, about 45 per cent of trips performed are within 5 km trip
length. It is evident that as trip distance increases, the volume of trips for all ULBs
in every district is decreasing except Nadia.
Graph 26: Trip distribution by distance (includes walking and cycling)
35%
31%
30%
30%
29%
29%
29%
28%
30%
27%
26%
26%
25%
25%
23%
25%
22%
19%
19%
20%
17%
14%
15%
12%
10%
10%
10%
10%
9%
10%
8%
6%
5%
5%
5%
3%
2%
0%
Kolkata Howrah North 24 South 24 Hoogly Nadia
0 - 1 km 2 - 5 km 6 - 10 km 11 - 20 km 21 - 30 km 31 kms +
Source: Average trip length data from census of India 2011

To understand the increasing longer trip length in the Nadia district, we have
studied the trip distance made by people using vehicles separately. It was
observed that trips originated from ULBs located far from city centres of Kolkata
and Howrah had increasingly longer trip length. In fact more than 50 per cent
of trips originated in Gayeshpur and Kalyani municipality of Nadia district
have trip length more than 30 km (see Graph 27: Trip distribution by distance
[motorized trips]).
67

Graph 27: Trip distribution by distance (motorized trips)
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Kolkata Howrah North 24 South 24 Hoogly Nadia
0 - 1 km 2 - 5 km 6 - 10 km 11 - 20 km 21 - 30 km 31 kms +
Source: Average trip length data from census of India 2011

3.5.1 On-road emissions inspection and monitoring

New vehicle technology and fuel quality have improved substantially with the
introduction of Bharat Stage VI emissions standards to reduce emissions from new
vehicle fleet. Equally stringent focus is needed on monitoring emissions from the
on-road vehicles of different genre to keep them low emitting during their useful
life on the road and reduce direct exposure to toxic emissions. This will require a
combination of strategies including on-road emissions monitoring, phasing out of
old vehicles, fleet renewal and scrappage of end-of-life vehicles, addressing heavy
duty trucks and a also a range of public transport strategies including walking and
cycling to reduce on-road emissions.
On-road emissions monitoring and inspection

Currently, the only vehicle inspection and maintenance programme is the pollution
under control (PUC) certificate that includes a set of idling emissions tests. Petrol
vehicles are tested for two-speed idle testing of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons
and the lambda test to maintain optimal conditions for proper functioning of
catalytic converters. Diesel vehicles are tested for smoke density along with RPM,
68

oil temperature etc. PUC norms are linked to a different generation of mass emissions
standards for vehicles. There is also an advisory from the Ministry of Road Transport
and Highways for checking the malfunctioning indicator light of on-board diagnostic
systems at the time of inspection and to return the vehicle for repair if the light is found
on indicating technical problem. This highly decentralized programme is very difficult
to monitor for quality control and credible testing.
A report for a period of three months January–March 2022 on the different enforcement
activities carried out by the Transport department to keep a check on the polluting
activities is available (see Table 9: Enforcement Activities for January 2022, Table 10:
Enforcement Activities for February 2022 and Table 11: Enforcement Activities for
March 2022).
Table 9: Enforcement activities for January 2022

North 24 South 24
Parameters PVD Kolkata Howrah Hooghly Nadia
Parganas Parganas
Location of
40 6 4 8 20 24
checking
No of vehicles
1251 87 482 484 780 1,718
checked
No. of
overloaded 98 16 69 27 77 68
vehicles
Total fine
realized from
3,953,867 665,020 2,753,500 925,650 3,435,340 2,960,000
overloaded
vehicles
Valid CF= 34
Valid CF = 20
Valid CF= 29 Valid CF= 13 Valid CF= 7 Valid CF= 0
Tax clearance
No of vehicles Tax clearance= 8 Tax clearance= 6 Tax clearance= 16 Tax clearance= 2 Tax clearance
= 19
detected SLD = 2 SLD = 0 SLD = 0 SLD = 0 = 20
SLD = 0
without HSRP = 10 HSRP = 0 HSRP = 0 HSRP = 0 SLD = 1
HSRP = 0
PUCC = 18 PUCC = 10 PUCC = 0 PUCC = 0 HSRP = 0
PUCC= 9
PUCC = 26
No of vehicles
under “other” 247 0 0 0 82 98
category
Penalty
5,002,827 981,778 4,728,874 974,150 4,516,012 3,876,156
collected (Rs)
CF: Certificate of Fitness

Source: Transport department—district-wise data
69

Table 10: Enforcement activities for February 2022

North 24 South 24
Parameters Kolkata Howrah Hooghly Nadia
Parganas Parganas
Location of
25 9 4 8 22 24
checking
No of vehicles
648 78 830 1,503 2,238 2,168
checked
No. of
overloaded 50 13 116 94 84 86
vehicles
Total fine
realised from
2,179,100 857,000 4,867,800 1,318,000 5,457,300 4,777,000
overloaded
vehicles
Valid CF = 25 Valid CF = 47 Valid CF = 19
Valid CF= 14 Valid CF = 15 Valid CF = 6
Tax clearance= Tax clearance=
Tax clearance = 5 Tax clearance = 8 Tax clearance = 2
No of vehicles Tax clearance= 13 30 19
SLD = 0 SLD = 0 SLD = 0
detected without SLD = 1 SLD = 0 SLD = 0
HSRP = 0 HSRP = 0 HSRP = 0
HSRP = 8 HSRP = 0 HSRP = 1
PUCC = 5 PUCC = 0 PUCC = 4
PUCC = 16 PUCC = 34 PUCC = 9
No of vehicles
under “other” 179 0 0 0 89 129
category
Penalty collected
3,498,109 2,172,721 6,721,310 3,497,700 8,391,874 6,185,472
(Rs)
Table 11: Enforcement Activities for March 2022

North 24 South 24
Parameters Kolkata Howrah Hooghly Nadia
Parganas Parganas
Location of
35 15 5 11 22 29
checking
No of vehicles
1,518 73 977 835 1,200 1,798
checked
No. of
overloaded 114 12 144 104 85 95
vehicles
Total fine
realised from
4,413,647 840,000 5,358,000 3,745,267 3,884,080 4,998,000
overloaded
vehicles
Valid CF = 32
Valid CF= 24 Valid CF= 4 Valid CF= 21 Valid CF= 6 Valid CF= 17
Tax Tax
Tax clearance Tax clearance Tax clearance Tax clearance
No of vehicles clearance= Clearance
=7 =0 = 12 =1
detected 37 =6
SLD= 1 SLD= 0 SLD= 0 SLD= 0
without SLD = 0 SLD = 4
HSRP= 4 HSRP= 0 HSRP= 0 HSRP= 0
HSRP = 0 HSRP = 1
PUCC= 10 PUCC= 0 PUCC= 1 PUCC= 0
PUCC = 27 PUCC = 4
No of vehicles
under “other” 185 0 0 0 131 119
category
Penalty
6077467 2447097 8072242 5653873 5617505 6275197
collected (Rs)
70

Based on the NGT order dated July 26, 2022, Miscellaneous Application No.
05/2021/Ez in original Application No. 33/2014/EZ, different departments have
initiated cases of violation which are as follows:
• For the period January 1, 2019–December 31, 2021, Kolkata Police has initiated
682,378 cases for violation of environment/pollution rules.
• The Anti-Pollution Cell of Kolkata Police has imposed total fines of Rs
79,90,300 in 2019; Rs 53,54,700 in 2020 and Rs 1,04,40,150 in 2021.
• For the period January 1–November 30, 2021, the police authority of Howrah
registered 43,891 cases for violation of pollution standards by vehicles.
• The Transport Department has been conducting regular checks of vehicular
emissions. For the period October–December 2021, a total of 247,627 vehicles
have been checked for vehicular emissions by Remote Sensing Device
• Further, 155,904 vehicles have been checked so far for vehicular emissions at the
Automatic Emission Testing Centres; 1,48,507 of these vehicles passed for PUC
certificate and 7,397 failed during the period October–December 2021. Challans
have been issued by the RTO against vehicles lacking PUC
Data is available from the Howrah Police Commissionerate on the enforcement of

law against visibly polluting vehicles either by removing them from road, imposing
the penalty, and launch of extensive awareness drive against polluting vehicles for
the year 2020–22. The data also contains on the enforcement activities due to
sound pollution (see Table 12: Enforcement of law against polluting vehicles).
Table 12: Enforcement of law against polluting vehicles

Months 2020 2021 2022
AP SP AP SP AP SP
January 298 145 145 82 129 26
February 308 92 92 73 11 1
March 159 159 159 31 8 9
April 4 39 39 1 13 3
May 5 22 22 0 24 32
June 39 53 53 1 19 8
July 59 130 130 3 - -
August 69 83 83 1 - -
September 66 61 61 20 - -
October 83 54 54 7 - -
November 98 80 80 24 - -
December 81 96 96 9 - -
Total 1,269 987 987 252 204 79
AP: Air Pollution; SP: Sound Pollution
Source: Howrah Police Commissionerate 2022
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The West Bengal transport department in 2020 along with the Centre for Science
and Environment had carried out a review of the on-going PUC programme,
including implementation of PUC norms and test procedures, organizational
structure, requisite skill building and training, back-end management of PUC
programme, and institutional capacities. The audit had shown lack of qualified
and skilled PUC operators, inadequate calibration of machines, lack of knowledge
of proper testing procedures, and improper testing and manual data reporting.
There has been some improvement in enforcement systems since then that include
linking of updated PUC and Vahan database, automatic alert to vehicle owners
for renewal of PUC certificates. The programme requires uniform strengthening;
quality control at a scale and effective fleet screening still remains daunting
challenge. This requires introduction of more advanced inspection and monitoring
systems. In addition, all commercial vehicles require annual road-worthiness and
fitness tests under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR).
A fully automated centralized vehicle inspection and fitness centre is being set up
in the KMA region for the testing of the commercial vehicles.
Strengthen remote sensing measurement programme

Kolkata is the only city in India that has already introduced remote sensing
measurements at a limited scale and has gathered experience of over 10 years.
After the Calcutta High Court directed a phase out of older vehicles, it also directed
improvement of in-use emissions surveillance. These operate for eight working
hours and five days a week at strategic locations since it’s a mobile remote sensing
device.
This is an on-road fleet screening of moving vehicles with roadside technique of

remote sensing to identify gross polluters. The department of transport is now
working towards further upgrading the programme with more advanced machines
and monitoring protocol. This process needs to be taken forward as a national
level framework for implementation of remote sensing measurements is already
taking shape.
There is an extensive system in place that records and issues show-cause notices to
the vehicle owners whose vehicles are found to be high emitting based on remote
sensing measurements. These are directly addressed to the vehicle owners with
the license plate numbers. The challan mentions the date and the location where
the vehicle was detected with high pollution level. It also gives the emissions
results for CO, CO2, HC, NOx, and smoke. It makes reference to the PUC limit
72

values as per Sections 115 and 116 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. The
vehicle owners are requested to bring the vehicle to a specified inspection centre
for verification within 15 days. Failing that, the owner is liable to payment of fine
under section 190(2) of Motor Vehicle Act and other such actions as per law. The
notice carries the picture of the vehicle with registration plate and the emissions
results compared with PUC norms.
When vehicle owners are intimated by the department about their polluting
vehicles, they often challenge the notice on the grounds that they have a valid PUC
certificate and should not be penalized. They feel that the MORTH needs to clarify
how remote sensing monitoring will co-exist with the PUC programme.
Smart monitoring of on-road emissions has become necessary and inevitable as

most of our on-road fleet has become BS IV compliant and India has also leapt to
a more sophisticated genre of BS VI technology for new vehicles since 2020. The
PUC programme was originally designed for older vehicle technologies. Thus, it is
becoming increasingly ineffective and even irrelevant for more advanced emissions
control systems in the newer fleet that needs a very different policing approach to
keep them low-emitting on the road. This is needed to ensure that these vehicles
remain low emitting throughout their useful life of the vehicles. If these grossly
polluting vehicles are not managed properly, on-road emissions can be very high.
It is therefore time to reinvent on-road emissions monitoring.
Remote sensing helps to detect individual vehicles which have become high
emitters due to poor maintenance, removal and tampering of emission control
systems, or accidental malfunctioning of emission control equipment, among other
issues. It also helps to detect high-emitting vehicle models where the fault lies
with the vehicle manufacturer. This could be due to poor design or defects in the
emissions control components, deterioration or poor durability of the emissions
control components, or intentional cheating on emissions standards and the use
of defective devices.
Remote sensing can assess the usage pattern of vehicles, and also identify vehicles
that come from outside the city and are not registered. Images can help identify
irregularity in number plates. As vehicles do not come in contact with any testing
machine or testing inspector, there is scope of fraud that plagues the PUC system.
This can even help to evaluate if the PUC system is working properly.
Department of Transport, West Bengal, has taken the initiative to analyse a data
set from the RSD application during 2015 to 2020 (see Graph 27: Vehicles screened
73

during 2015–20 in Kolkata using RSD and Graph 28: Screening of vehicles
based on different vintage, fuel type, and vehicle category). Based on this several
observations have been highlighted.
• About 51 lakh vehicles were screened during five years with RSD. Overall, 3.4
and 3.7 percent of vehicles were found to be highly polluted. Notably, about 6-7
per cent of total vehicles were found to be dirty/or high emitters according to
the yardstick adopted.
• In 2018 and 2019, Kolkata city reported seven months of vehicle inspection
using RSD. A smaller date set for that period show that 7 per cent of vehicles
were identified as dirty vehicles. In 2020, about 19,0367 vehicles were screened
in four months and amongst them 9 per cent of the screened vehicles were
identified as high emitters.
• As expected, diesel vehicles more than 10 years old recorded higher emissions
by a factor of 2 as compared to diesel vehicles less than 10 years old. Among
petrol vehicles, those more than 15 years old recorded three times higher
emissions than vehicles less than 10 years old.
• Among the less than 10 years diesel vehicles, 4.3 per cent transport that are
commercial vehicles were high emitters and 1.2 per cent non-transport or
privately owned vehicles were high emitters. Among transport vehicles, 3.4 per
cent buses, 5.3 per cent emergency vehicles, and 4.2 per cent goods vehicles
were identified as high emitters.
• Diesel vehicles more than 10 years old had three times higher emissions
compared to the non-transport vehicles. Among them, 11 per cent taxis, 10.1
per cent goods vehicles, 7.7 per cent buses and 5.1 per cent Omni buses were
found to be high emitters.
• In the category of 15-year-old petrol vehicles, 3.2 transport vehicles and 3.6 per
cent non-transport vehicles were identified as high emitters. In the transport/
commercial petrol vehicles category, the highest emitters were emergency
vehicles (16.4 per cent), followed by goods vehicles (11.9 per cent) and Omni
buses (7.1 per cent). However, in non-transport petrol category omni buses
(19.4 per cent) were more polluting compared to transport omni-buses.
• In the more than 15 years old petrol vehicles category, transport vehicles
had 2-times lower high emitters compared to non-transport vehicles. In the
transport/commercial category, emergency vehicles were highly polluting
(15.4 per cent), while in non-transport category, 10.1 per cent cars and 12.3 per
cent omni buses were identified as high emitters.
Based on this programme, the Transport Department has collected Rs 8 lakh

penalty charges during 2019–20. Moreover, RSD in Kolkata has exhibited how
this helps the regulators to evaluate the vehicle emission performance on the road.
74

Graph 27: Vehicles screened during 2015–20 in Kolkata using RSD
Source: Transport Department, Government of West Bengal
Graph 28: Screening of vehicles based on different vintage, fuel type and
vehicle category
75

Source: Transport Department, Government of West Bengal
Phase-out of old vehicles and scrappage of end-of-life vehicles

Fleet renewal and fleet modernization are needed to benefit from the technology
advancement in new vehicles. Transport Department has already issued an order
restricting the plying of 15-year-old commercial vehicles such as buses, mini
buses, meter taxis and other commercial and/or transport vehicles for the Kolkata
Metropolitan Area. This phasing out of vehicles is automatically done through
e-Vahan Software managed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) by identifying
and locking them in the database itself to block any future transaction on account of
these vehicles such as payment of taxes, renewal of permits, conduct of Certificate
of Fitness etc.
Pre-BS IV cars are not allowed for CATO (Change or Transfer of Ownership) in
Kolkata. Several informal vehicle dismantling units exist in Kolkata, especially
around the Mullick Bazaar area in Park Circus (see Table 13: Number of vehicles
phased out as per the order of Hon’ble NGT).
Table 13: Number of vehicles phased out as per the order of Hon’ble NGT
Year Number of vehicles phased out
Up to August 2012 53,019
Sept 2012–13 6,088
2013– 14 5,979
2014–15 7,866
2015–16 11,321
2016–17 12,145
2017–18 145,68
2018 (till October) 2,904
Total 113,890
Source: Based on the Kolkata Clean Air Action Plan
76

There are two phases in which the vehicles are scrapped. Under phase I which is
from 1970-1999, 1,50,600 notices have been served after inspection to date. But
how many have actually been phased out/ scrapped is not yet clear. These are
mostly in KMC and HMC area.
Based on the NGT order dated 26 July 2022, Miscellaneous Application No.
05/2021/Ez in original Application No. 33/2014/EZ, different departments have
phased out their old vehicles which is as follows:
• Solid Waste Management (SWM) Department of Kolkata Municipal
Corporation (KMC) has phased out 159 15-year-old vehicles.
• Kolkata Police has phased out 123 such vehicles.
• RTO, Howrah has scrapped 83 vehicles in the last three years
• KMDA has phased out 31 such vehicles
The state government may also adopt a scrappage policy to facilitate implementation
of scrappage infrastructure for end-of-life vehicles.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on 15 March 2021 has issued
• G.S.R. 653(E) regarding the Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of
Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021, dated 23-09-2021
• G.S.R 220(E) regarding Concession in Motor Vehicle Taxes against submission
of Certificate of Vehicle Scrapping, dated 26-03-2021
• Sec 59 of the CMV(A) Act, 2019 that provides for fixing age and restricting
plying of unfit vehicles
• AIS 129 that defines the standards for manufacturers on reuse, recycling and
material recovery from vehicles.
The CPCB has issued Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Facilities for Handling,
Processing and Recycling of end-of-life vehicles in 2019. Delhi has issued state-
level guidelines for scrapping of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) on August 24, 2018.
Accordingly, only authorized scrapping centres can issue dismantling certificates.
Organised scrappage is also an important strategy for recovering material – steel,
aluminium and plastics—to bring it back to production for a circular economy
while preventing environmental contamination. The NCR Planning Board in its
Draft Regional Plan 2041 has proposed setting up of such regional scrappage
centres in the surrounding NCR districts with land availability.
Controlling emissions from heavy duty trucks

Heavy duty trucks emit several times more toxic emissions compared to the smaller
vehicles. Growing trade and urban economy induce heavy freight movement in the
77

region that contribute enormously to the local pollution. KMA region particularly,
Kolkata and Howrah are particularly vulnerable to transit trucks. In Howrah
there is intense truck movement on Kona expressway and there are no options
for diverting that traffic. Kolkata is contemplating stopping the big trucks at the
border while catering to the local businesses with smaller trucks. Some ULBs in
KMA have noted how trucks sometime take detour through the municipality to
save time and distance. But this increases local exposures.
While most ULBs regulate timing of entry and exit of trucks, road network in the
KMA may also be audited to identify possible bypasses to reduce the pressure on
municipal roads. For more sustainable solution other freight modes including rail
and waterways need to be developed to reduce pressure on roadways. Yet another
strategy can be trucking on clean fuels. As the availability of natural gas increases
with the expansion of the pipeline, CNG/LNG highways may be planned. Electric
highways is also possible. Long haul trucks can be encouraged to move to clean
fuels. Trucks and commercial vehicles may also be encouraged to move to electric
mode. Such plans can be developed for route clusters in the KMA.
This will also have to be supported by rationalization of the logistic infrastructure

and by reorganizing the retail and warehouses in the cities. More multi-modal
integration of roadways and railways are necessary for this transition. This requires
more efficient linking with regional rail-based freight systems and increasing
share of rail-based freight.
3.5.1.1 Action Plan: Emissions from on-road vehicles

Action Sub-region Responsible Timeline
agency
year three years five years
On-road emissions monitoring: PUC: KMA 
Ensure 100 per cent vehicles comply
with PUC requirements Mandate
valid PUC certificate for refuelling of
vehicles Transport
To spot and penalize visibly polluting
department
vehicles on roads
Mandatory audits of all PUC centres
every six months and public disclosure
of results.
Expand remote sensing monitoring Kolkata,  
for advanced emissions surveillance Howrah, Transport
especially in Kolkata, Howrah and
Bidhan department
Bidhannagar; other appropriate ULBs
to be identified Nagar
78

Action Sub-region Responsible Timeline
agency
year three years five years
Phasing out overage vehicles and KMA  
scrappage policy: Transport
Time bound phase out of all 15-year-old
department
vehicles as per the NGT order
Adopt scrappage policy and implement KMA Transport 
scrappage infrastructure: department
To adopt a comprehensive scrappage
policy: Prioritize vehicle segments to
be phased out like heavy duty vehicles;
provide scrappage incentives to replace
a certain portion of the old vehicles with
electric vehicles.
Set up scrappage centres for material KMA Transport  
recovery from end-of-life vehicles. department
Scrappage centres need to be set up for
ULB clusters and on PPP mode.
Refer to the two notifications of the
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Controlling emissions from transit trucks: KMA  
Review the alignment of highways and
bypasses in KMA area to identify the
Transport
possibility of re-routing truck traffic
wherever feasible to prevent transit department
through the ULBs as much as possible
Develop and implement a plan for CNG/ KMA  
LNG fuelling network in KMA region/
highways to shift long haul trucking and
State
other commercial vehicles to gas
Incentivize promotion of electric Government
commercial vehicles in KMA area. and GAIL
Implement charging network along the
highways.
Review logistics and wholesale markets KMA
in targeted ULBs to explore possible shift ULB
away from dense habitation
Increase capacity of railways and KMA  
waterways to shift larger share of freight State
away from roadways—consider daily
government
pollution entry fee on trucks especially
in Kolkata.
3.5.2 Electric mobility and clean fuels

Given the level of motorization and vehicle stock in the region, clean air targets
will require zero emissions pathways to minimize contribution of vehicles to
toxic exposures and air pollution concentration. While under the current policy
instruments for promoting electric vehicles, Kolkata has taken a firm step forward,
a blue print is needed for further expansion in Kolkata, Howrah and Bidhannagar
and fleet electrification for the entire KMA area and the municipalities of ULB.
79

Kolkata Metropolitan Area has around 17,000 registered electric vehicles (till
May 31, 2022), and one-fourth of all the EVs are registered in Kolkata, Howrah
and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation area. Additionally, Kolkata has initiated
an electric bus programme under the FAME II programme and has substantial
number of electric buses (see Graph 29: RTO-/ARTO-wise registration of vehicles
within KMA).
Graph 29: RTO-/ARTO-wise registration of vehicles within KMA

RTO/ARTO-wise percentage of registered EV RTO/ARTO-wise percentage of total registered
within KMA vehicles within KMA
Source: VAHAN database
Much of the EV penetration within KMA is led by expansion of e-rickshaw/cart

services. However, there is restriction on e-rickshaw services within KMC area.
(see Graph 30: Vehicle category-wise registration of EV within KMA).
Graph 30: Vehicle category-wise registration of EV within KMA

Vehicle category-wise registration of Vehicle category-wise registration of EV in different
EV within KMA RTO/ARTO.
Source: VAHAN database
80

West Bengal Electric Vehicle (EV) policy has targeted to achieve 10 lakh EVs,
including all vehicle segments, by 2026. Considering that the present vehicle share
of KMA in the entire state is 45–50 per cent, there is a need for KMA specific
target. This requires vehicle segment wise target setting along with incentives
and charging infrastructure development (currently, the West Bengal EV policy
doesn’t specify any additional purchase incentives other than FAME 2), setting up
adequate charging infrastructure is very much needed.
Status of EV charging infrastructure: West Bengal EV Policy provides two

important targets for setting up EV charging infrastructure within the states.
Firstly, installation of one lakh public and semi-public charging stations by 2026
and secondly, to achieve an electric vehicle per public charge point ratio of eight
(8) by 2026. To achieve this, KMA would require to install at least 50,000 stations
or around 62,500 public charging points for their 5 lakhs EVs by 2026. As per the
latest information received, KMC has planned to install 41 EV charging stations
within KMC area.
Electrification of public bus transport: West Bengal Transport Corporation,

one of the leading public bus agencies responsible for operating public bus services
within KMA, is operating around 80 electric buses from 10 depots since 2019. In
2021, they have given the supply order of another 50 e-buses of which 10 buses are
already added to the total fleet. The WBTC has taken a policy decision of operating
an all electric bus fleet in the coming days. It have also participated in the recent
CESL mega tendering process and expressed their desire to procure another 2,000
e-buses in the coming two to three years.
Chandannagore is among the very few ULBs that has conducted a land assessment
with a charging OEM (Joule point) and have identified a location on the highway
with three charging guns suitable for two-wheelers). It should be noted that two-
wheeler is mostly used for movement within urban limits and hence location of
charging should be reassessed from the point of view of utilization density of users.
KMA area will require an electric mobility strategy overall. Kolkata-Howrah-

Bidhannagar require an overall fleet electrification and vehicle segment-wise
targets to be met by 2025 (minimum 25 per cent fleet electrification) with higher
target for two-wheelers, three-wheelers and buses. While WBTC moves towards
100 per cent bus fleet electrification it needs an additional strategy of creating
common charging and support infrastructure to encourage private bus fleet
operators to also invest in electric bus fleet. Additionally, the government vehicle
fleet, aggregators and delivery fleet may also be targeted to phased electrification.
81

Accordingly, the charging infrastructure including public charging and home/

institution/parking based charging needs to expand. Building bylaws may be
amended to enable this process.
In the rest of the KMA there is an opportunity to set an ambitious target for fleet
electrification for two and three wheelers as these vehicles dominate. Given the
price parity already achieved in these segments with the internal combustion
engines, it is possible to align with the Niti Ayog’s stated target of at least 70 per
cent fleet electrification for these segments. This requires a roadmap for charging
infrastructure. Ministry of Housing and urban Affairs (MoHUA) has set the public
charging station norms:
• 4W—1SC (each 3 EVs); 1 FC (each 10 EVs)
• 3W—1SC (each 2 EVs)
• 2W—1SC (each 2 EVs)
• PV (buses)—1FC (each 10 EVs)
• This will also require battery swapping framework. According to MoHUA’s
building bye-laws
Charging stations need to be installed in building premises, core urban areas -

Assuming 20 per cent of vehicles in buildings are EVs. All parking lots and
commercial establishments and residential communities with a parking capacity
need to reserve parking space for EVs.
Additional power load needs to be organized equivalent to power required for

all charging points to be operated simultaneously, with a safety factor of 1.25. In
plotted houses, AC slow charger with single gun will be needed.
Charging infrastructure central guidelines are also in place that have provisions for
exclusive transformer with related substation equipment including safety alliance,
cables, metering civil works, planning of the charging area etc.
This also needs to be supported by special electricity tariff policy, purchase grant
and land support,
Discoms led load management, metering services, payment infrastructure and
information sharing platform etc
CNG programme: Kolkata is also planning to implement CNG programme in

view of the expanding natural gas pipeline. Some buses have converted to CNG
already. Targeted vehicle segments especially local commercial vehicles, buses on
long haul routes can move to CNG while electrification needs to be the major thrust
82

area. Preferably, new CNG vehicles need to be promoted instead of aftermarket
conversion. Any aftermarket conversion will require stringent quality control,
certification of the conversion workshop, certification of conversion kits by the
Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and selective introduction in
the older fleet based on certification of retrofitment of the model by ARAI.
3.5.3 Public transport

Vehicular pollution control will require transformative changes in the
transportation and mobility patterns in the region to reduce number and usage of
vehicles, reduce travel distances and traffic intensity.
The clean air action plans of the non-attainment cities of Kolkata, Howrah, and
Barrackpore in KMA and the related CPCB indicators for progress reporting have
asked for improvement in bus numbers and services, reform of bus operations,
improving availability of buses, enforcement of bus lanes to keep them free from
obstruction and encroachment, improving connectivity. The City Development
Plan too seeks robust public transport services with intermediate transport
services, improved accessibility and better last mile connectivity at all interchange
points. The city mobility plan of Kolkata has also set a target of 90 per cent of all
motorized trips to be by public transport.
To implement this at a desired scale the target, design, scope of action, and
funding strategy needs to be planned well and implemented as needed in the
targeted cities and sub regions. The current public transport systems including
para transit systems include the following (see Map 14: Public Transport network
Map of Kolkata Metropolitan Area):
• Bus network connects all ULBs, but density of network is higher in central
areas.
• Metro network connects five (Baranagar, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, Rajpur
Sonarpur, South Dum Dum) out of 41 ULBs.
• Suburban railway network connects all 41 ULBs.
• Circular railway connects four (Baranagar, Kolkata, Howrah and South Dum
Dum) out of 41 ULBs. Other areas have regional connectivity.
• Tram network is very limited to a few corridors and confined to Kolkata.
• Auto operates in all 41 ULBs.
• E-rickshaw operates in all ULBs except Kolkata Municipal Corporation area.
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Map 14: Public transport network Map of Kolkata Metropolitan Area
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Based on its urban form and characteristics, two distinct set of ULBs within the
Kolkata Metropolitan area that need to have locally appropriate systems.
Group A: Three corporations (Kolkata, Howrah, Bidhannagar) and the 12

municipalities that share boundary with them. These include, Dum Dum, North
dum-dum, South Dum Dum, Barrackpore, New Barrackpore, North Barrackpore,
Barasat, Madhyamgram, Bally, Baranagar, Uttarpara, Serampore.
Group B: Chadannagar Municipal Corporation and 25 municipalities namely

Budge Budge, Mahestala, Pujali, Baruipur, Rajpur-Sonarpur, Bhatpara, Garulia,
Kamarhati, Kanchrapara, Khardah, Naihati, Panihati, Titagarh, Bhadreshwar,
Chamdany, Bansberia, Hooghly-Chinsura, Badyabati, Dankuni, Konnagar,
Uttarpara-Kotrung, Rishra, Uluberia, Gayeshpur, Kalyani
Status of public transportation in Group A ULBs of Kolkata

Metropolitan area
This group of ULBs that are more urbanized with high density development are
served by the most diverse public transport of KMA. This includes bus network,
metro rail network, Trams, sub urban rail, circular rail, and para transit services.
With compact city design they have better accessibility. These 15 ULBs are densely
built up and has 66 per cent of KMA’s population. This is an opportunity to deploy
integrated public transport systems to cater to the maximum population.
These ULBs are served by most bus routes, and are also served by taxi services and
app based cab services. Network of intermediate public transport services include
shared auto, e-rickshaws. However, e-rickshaw deployment is prohibited from
KMC boundary.
The extensive rail transport network in this region includes 40 kms of metro rail
network, extensive suburban rail network and the 36 km circular rail network
connecting trade route between Kolkata Howrah. Kolkata has the most diverse
range of public transport options encompassing road-, rail- and water-based
transport systems such as buses, taxis, autos, ferry, metro rail, suburban rail,
circular rail, rickshaw and man-pulled rickshaw. This require system specific
reform and modernization to maximize services to achieve an ambitious target of
at least 90 per cent of all motorized trips by public transport.
There is an overall variability in the way public transport is used in the big cities of
Kolkata, Howrah and Bidhannagar and in other smaller ULBs.
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Table 14: Summary of public transport in KMA

Group A: Kolkata, Howrah and Bidhananagar Group B: Chadannagore Municipal Corporation and
and 12 ULBs 25 ULBs
Predominant • Bus, local train, cab, personal vehicles • Most ULB’s in KMA are largely dependent on
mode of • Most bus routes serviced by WBTC commuter rail for daily trips
transport operates within the region on Kolkata, • ULBs like Budge Budge still has a considerable
Howrah and Bidhannagar municipal share of trips on ferry that connects it to
corporation and the ULBs that share Howrah in just 20 minutes
boundary with these corporations • Frequency of commuter rail is 1 per hour and less
than 40 minutes to Kolkata
• On average there are two bus route that serves
these ULBs located far from Kolkata and Howrah
Local urban • Bus, personal vehicles, cab services • Walking, cycling and e-rickshaw. These ULBs
trips • But also has high share of walk trips have shorter trip length of about 3 km. High
owing to shorter travel distances dependence on e-rickshaws to connect them to
market and train stations.
Parking • These ULBs have limited urban space, • Given low vehicle ownership and usage and
high share of vehicles and face regular heavy dependence on job centres in larger cities
congestion that leads to high out migration during the day,
• Municipal corporations have parking parking management is not seen as a problem.
strategy that entails contracting parking • Need adequate and proper NMT infrastructure
supply; there is no restrain measure. and IPT services to avoid congestion.
Road • All major roads should be developed • Functional arterial roads through smaller ULBs
development as per applicable standards of IRC are either NH or SH. Road network in ULBs are
with special attention to all road users mostly local street network with width less than
(walking and cycling) 4 metre on average. With less personal vehicle
• Roads with adequate width and right of and negligible encroachment ULBs don’t feel the
way, should be redesigned for meeting need for management on roads in general.
the requirements of pedestrian and non-
motorised transport.
Public buses, Kolkata

Currently West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) owns, maintains and
operates public bus services in Kolkata Metropolitan area. Public transport bus
operations in Kolkata are dominated by private bus syndicate. As of 2017 Kolkata
had about 7,000 private run public buses and only about 1,500 buses were run by
WBTC. West Bengal transport Corporation is also responsible for operating tram
services, ferry services (see Table 14: Summary of public transport network in
Kolkata and Table 15: Structure of STUs operating buses in KMA).
Table 15: Structure of STUs operating buses in KMA

Organizational set-ups Fleet (2017) Fleet (2022) No. of routes (2022)
Calcutta State Transport Corporation
1265 94
(CSTC)
12 in KMA
Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) Ltd 319
(75 routes are beyond KMA)
West Bengal Surface Transport 5 in KMA
538
Corporation (WBSTC) (29 routes are beyond KMA)
Private bus syndicate 7000
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Innovation undertaken by WBTC: Induction of ITS systems, for optimizing
operations, is underway for overall WBTC. For now, CSTC is the only corporation
using ITS systems to run bus scheduling, reporting and ticketing for its 1203 buses
in 127 routes. There has been few attempts in the past.
Pathadisha, an app launched by the West Bengal government, provides information

on the city bus system to the users. Whatsapp number for grievance redressal has
been launched by WBTC in 2019 to address issues reported by user.
In addition, WBTC launched ‘West Bengal Transport Card’ in 2017 as a step

to integrate fare collection for all modes of transportation. This single mobility
card attempt to integrate all buses, trams and ferries operated by WBTC. As of
2022 it can be availed on all buses owned and operated by WBTC. However, it’s
application is not mandatory and percentage of usage is unknown.
The Service Level Benchmark (SLB) of MoHUA for bus transport recommends
that a city with more than 4 million population should have 60 buses per lakh
population and less should have 40 buses per lakh population. But Kolkata has
only 9 public buses per lakh population. If private buses are considered, the figure
is higher. But private buses are not institutionally strong to undertake bus reforms,
bus modernization and electrification plans. These have challenges of ageing and
poorly maintained buses. This will require a strategy.
Improvement in bus service and ridership requires improvement in critical

parameters including bus numbers procured annually, passenger km per bus per
day, bus network length for every square km of city/town’s habitable or built-
up area, trend in load factor, ITS policy for operation and service delivery, and
fare policy among others. Service delivery needs to be upgraded to meet the SLB
benchmarks related to service coverage, average waiting time to be less than 4 min
at bus stops and level of comfort in the bus services among others.
Metro rail corridor: The Kolkata metro network has 34 stations along 40 km
length spreading north-south and east-west corridor. While north-south corridor
is a four decade old system, the east-west corridor is constructed in 2020, of which
two stations are being constructed under water. Kolkata metro witnesses about
4 lakh ridership daily. Indian railways also operates Suburban railway, Circular
railway operations.
Kolkata tram: Kolkata is also the only Indian city to have a tram system. The tram
is an articulated vehicle with a 2.1-metre width and 17.5-metre length. It has a
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seating capacity of 62 and a full load capacity of 200 passengers. There has been a
10-times drop in the number of passengers since 1970s. In 2017, the tram network
consists of 269 vehicles and 25 routes (that expands along a 71-kilometre stretch)
that are fixed on the carriage way. As of now the tram network have been reduced
to only two routes.
Kolkata’s suburban railway network: Kolkata is well-connected across other

Indian cities with a well-linked railway network. The Eastern Railway division
and South Eastern Railway division operates urban local suburban rail services
and circular rail services to facilitate suburban passenger movement. Two major
railway stations in Kolkata are Howrah and Sealdah. The rail lines are divided into
the suburban railway (Eastern Railway line and South-Eastern Railway line) and
circular railway line.
Kolkata suburban railway: Suburban rail network is extensive with 12 corridors

and 105 railway stations serving Kolkata metropolitan and few suburban areas. As
of 2006, it carried around 17 lakh passengers on a regular weekday. The suburban
rail network is very extensive and it connects these regions to the 25 other ULBs
that are located at rear ends of KMA boundary. Suburban railway is also the prime
mode of urban transport for larger KMA.
Circular rail, a division of the suburban railways, was built to ease road congestion
that resulted with increasing population of the metropolis Kolkata. Till date,
the circular rail is an urban transport in a loop rail network, meant to cater the
central business districts (CBDs) of the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata. It
is a 21-kilometre loop with 13 stations and a terminal at Dum Dum junction.
However, as of 2017, only partial loop is under operations with two-way services
from Majerhat to Dum Dum, and vice versa. Currently, there are 16 trains running
with a frequency of 40–50 minutes. In 2017, suburban railway and circular railway
ferries around 5.7 lakh passengers.
Table 16: Summary of public transport network in Kolkata

Fleet Routes Network (km) Ridership (2017)
Bus 1337 111 2,000,000
Private run public buses 7000 4,940,000
Metro 2 38 405,596
Tram 11,000
Suburban railway
Circular railway 36
Source: WBTC 2017 and 2022; Eastern railways 2018; Private bus syndicate, 2018
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The ULBs of KMA are connected by the extensive network of suburban railways
in Kolkata metropolitan area. On an average there are only two bus routes that
connect these areas. As per trip information from census, as high as 50 percent
of trips made by people from these ULBs are by train because of long distance
commuting for jobs and livilohood. Local suburban railway is the mobility spine.
It connects all 41 ULBs directly. This operates more than 1500 services and
witnesses more than 3.5 million daily ridership.
Suburban train connects these areas to economic centres of Kolkata BIdhananagr

and Howrah in barely 40 minutes. Within the urban limits of these ULBs are
e-rickshaws. However ULBs do not maintain record of total e-rickshaws operating
in ULBs.
Para-transit services
Para transit is often seen as an informal response to fill the gap in formal public
transport services. The variety of intermediate modes that are available for
mobility needs in the city are three-wheelers (autos), yellow taxis, cycle rickshaws
and battery-operated rickshaws commonly known as a toto or E-rickshaw.
Often, planning for formal transport is seen as a means to curtail and reduce the
provision of their services. But these systems can be the only source of public
transport in smaller ULBs, and also play a complementary role to the formal
systems as well as in meeting enormous short-distance travel demand that bigger
formal systems cannot substitute.
Auto rickshaws: Auto is the most popular para-transit mode. Kolkata has a very
good network of auto rickshaws operated by private owners on routes permitted by
the RTA. Unlike other Indian cities where auto rickshaws have a permit based on
urban boundary and can operate on any roads within that, Kolkata has a list of specific
routes. It operates on a stage carriage model on 127 routes, subject to approval by
Public Vehicles Department. The auto generally carries 3–5 persons at a time. As of
2017, the total number of auto permits issued by the department was 11,315. The fare
structure is usually flat fare which starts from Rs 10, based on the location.
Yellow taxi: Taxis are usually metered-cabs that ply within Greater Kolkata. The
meters—though digital—are generally out-of-date. Usually, there is a conversion
chart to refer to while converting the meter-reading to the actual fare. The minimum
value is Rs 25 for first two kilometres. Dedicated taxi stands are currently found at
transit stations. Today, around 3 lakh passengers are ferried daily by 3,500 taxis
in Kolkata. Though, the yellow taxis operate on a Bengal permit, they mostly limit
operations within the boundary of KMA.
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Cycle rickshaw and e-rickshaws: The past decade has witnessed a drastic reduction
in the number of non-motorized transport (NMT) vehicles. Plying of rickshaws in
central Kolkata has been banned and its movement has been restricted to a few
areas within Greater Kolkata. Currently, cycle rickshaws are mostly found in south
Kolkata and Salt Lake City, and most rickshaw pullers in Howrah have resorted to
driving e-rickshaws, however, there is no record or registration maintained for the
number of e-rickshaws in the city.
In the peripheral areas of Kolkata, battery-operated e-rickshaws or totos thrive due

to low costs and negligible regulation. Presently, totos are not allowed in Kolkata
Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. With the recent inclusion of e-rickshaws
under the mandate of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 in 2015, totos are expected to
become more accessible in Kolkata city under registration and other regulatory
compliance. It is estimated that there are over 10,000 e-rickshaws operating
within KMA, followed by 6,000 in Howrah, that were regulated by October 2017.
According to the Beltala PVD, in 2017, there were 899 autos and 30,442 taxis in
Kolkata, followed by 258 autos and 4,543 taxis in Bidhannagar.
There is a lack of para-transit infrastructure across the city, as there are no

provisions for parking stands, shelters or pick-up and drop-off points for these
vehicles. There are however, 293 parking areas for taxis with an equivalent car
space (ECS) of 703 within Kolkata.
While the informal para-transit sector plays an important role in meeting the
travel demand of the city, it also provides livelihood security to the low-income
sector. This sector requires interventions to improve service quality as well as
overall welfare of the service provider. This sector is partially regulated through
a permit system, and will require stronger deployment strategy and monitoring.
All public transport nodes should include para-transit facilities. Inter-modal

integration of formal public transport, para-transit and cycle sharing should
be within 50–200 metre from each other. Para-transit pick-up and drop off
points should be planned within at least 50 metre from bus and metro/rail
stations. Para-transit should be available to all residents within a reasonable
walking distance.
This informal sector is vulnerable to the use of old and polluting vehicle
technologies and dirty adulterated fuels. This demands special strategies to
enable introduction of clean fuels such as LPG or CNG and phasing out of old and
polluting technologies, especially diesel vehicles like the yellow taxis. If needed,
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an incentive programme may be worked out for quicker transition to clean and
advanced technologies.
Record of IPT services are not maintained by ulbs. In this case it becomes challenging
to understand the serviceability of these modes. While RTO registers and permits
operations, ulbs should maintain a record of vehicle plying within its region.
3.5.4 Walkability, NMT network and accessibility

With diverse public transport network, it is important to have an adequate system
of interconnected multi-modal systems. In principle a multi-modal network should
not only be physically integrated, but should have information on integration and
fare integration.
As per the local assessment in Belgachia, Central Avenue and Maidan, most metro
stations have a bus stop within 200 m of the station’s exit that enable passengers
to reach the bus stop in less than five minutes after exiting. But several others
(e.g. Dum Dum, Noapara and Kavi Nazrul) have a bus stop at a distance of up to
500 m, which increases the time taken to reach the bus stop to ten minutes.6 A
few stations have the bus stop right outside the exit of the metro station (e.g. Kali
Ghat and Rabindra Sarovar)—this can be extended as a good practice across all
metro stations. Further, footpath connectivity between metro station and the bus
stop goes missing for most of the metro stations at the southern end of the route,
such as Geetanjali and Kavi Nazrul.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation depicts a different built characteristics in comparison

to other ULBs. It has wider network of footpath with various street activities.
Kolkata’s compact structure makes it more walkable and cycle-friendly as 60 per
cent of the city’s commuting trips are within 3–4 kilometres. Improved walkability
is an opportunity to increase share of zero-emission trips as well as improve public
transport usage. All public transport trips end and begin as walk trips.
Most other ULBs have land constraint that affects the designing of roads. Road
network is owned by three different agencies within KMA. Major functional roads
and arterial roads are owned by Central and State PWD. The local road connecting
residential areas and plots are maintained by urban local bodies. State PWD
road network in KMA constitutes 17,659 km of road network. Road is the only
infrastructure component that is directly managed by ULBs. It is hence important
that all ULBs maintain record of roads by hierarchy, bylanes, and by type of surface
(see Table 17: Road network distribution in KMA).
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Table 17: Road network distribution in KMA

PWD roads (range
41 ULBs of Kolkata Metropolitan Area
in km)
Kolkata Municipal Corporation 4,636
Mahestala Municipality 1,063
Rajpur-Sonarpur Municipality, Howrah Municipal Corporation

Madhyamgram Municipality, Serampore Municipality, Bidhannagar Municipal
500–999
Corporation, North Dum Dum Municipality, Chandannagar Municipal Corporation,
Panihati Municipality, Kamarhati Municipality
Barasat Municipality, Uluberia Municipality, Hooghly-Chinsura Municipality, South Dum
400–499
Dum Municipality, Gayeshpur Municipality
Bhatpara Municipality, Badyabati Municipality, Kalyani Municipality, New Barrackpore
200–399
Municipality, Baranagar Municipality
Uttarpara-Kotrung Municipality, Konnagar Municipality, Khardah Municipality,
Barrackpore Municipality, North Barrackpore Municipality, Garulia Municipality, Dum
100–199
Dum Municipality, Chamdany Municipality
Bansberia Municipality, Rishra Municipality
Budge Budge Municipality, Bhadreshwar Municipality, Pujali Municipality, Naihati
Municipality, Bally Municipality, Titagarh Municipality, Baruipur Municipality, Halisahar Up to 99
Municipality, Dankuni Municipality, Kanchrapara Municipality
Commuting distance in other ULBs are barely 3–5 km which makes them very
convenient for walking and use of para transit and e-rickshaws. As per census
data, 38 to 48 per cent of trips are walk trips or cycle trips. This is an opportunity
to adopt street design guidelines and appropriate standards for people friendly
road design and for safe accessibility.
Smaller ULBs have limited road space and right of way that often makes segregation
by users (carriageways, footpaths and cycle lanes) difficult. For instance, in
Bhatpara municipality, according to the Office of the Municipal Councillors,
Bhatpara Municipality, the total length road is 369.96 km that are owned by
the ULB. All of them are narrow single road lanes. It does not have arterial road.
There is only 14 km of sub-arterial road. Collector road length is approx. 346 km.
and colony road length is 23 km (approx.). These are all single lane roads. The
road length is distributed across 35 wards ranging from 429 metre in ward no 22
to 1,005 metre in ward no 35.
This reflects the pattern of road network in most ULBs in KMA. This therefore
requires a different approach to road planning for walkability. This requires ward-
wise road network development to improve pedestrian and cycling access (as per
latest street design guidelines of IRC) that may involve pedestrianized of those
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streets with very high footfalls around commercial areas; safe pedestrian crossing
with markings and signals, traffic calming measures to reduce speed and friction
with motorized traffic, improve pedestrian services like different amenities, ensure
proper roadside drainage to not to interfere with pedestrian movement while
efficient for controlling flooding; and use of any extra road spaces to improve
pedestrian paths and green spaces etc.
Moreover, the access roads to the major transit nodes like the suburban railway
station and bus stand need to be redesigned for improving safe pedestrian
throughput.
Identify busy commercial areas and implement pedestrian zones and low emissions
zones to regulate entry and exit of vehicles, give preference to cycles, electric
vehicles etc and create remote parking so that people can park at a distance and
walk to the low emissions zones.
3.5.5 Parking management for reducing parking demand and

use of vehicles
While augmentation of public transport service is necessary to meet the growing
travel demand in the region, it also needs demand management measures to
reduce the need for travel and use of personal vehicles. As part of the various
clean air action plans of the non-attainment cities parking management has
been prioritized as the step towards demand management. This is guided by the
principles of the National Urban Transport that states use parking as a restraint
measure by limiting availability of parking space and levying high parking fees to
curb use of personal motor vehicles. Parking for personal vehicles is a private need
and not a public good that the market should cater to on the user pay principle.
Currently in all ULBs of KMA parking is a supply management strategy that only
takes into account the growing parking demand in key areas and seeks to augment
parking spaces. They do not have land-use based parking management approach
to organize legal parking, limit legal parking, price parking in all land uses and
penalize illegal parking.
Among all ULBs only Kolkata Municipal Corporation has a notified Parking policy
that enlists parking rates and streets with legal parking spaces. Kolkata Municipal
Corporation maintains four type of parking locations Day Parking, Night Parking,
Taxi Parking and Exclusive parking(list is available on KMC website). Additionally
Port Trust manages parking within its jurisdiction. KMC has a list of 337 notified
roads identified for priced parking in day, night and taxi parking. These roads
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have a capacity of 9,683 ECS overall, of which 7,594 are ECS where day parking is
allowed for 15 hours from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.7
However KMC does not have a notified list of roads that are prohibited for parking
during the day or night hours.
Notifying of on-street parking, parking rules and regulation are subject of Kolkata
Municipal Corporation. Kolkata traffic police on requirement of KMC issues
NOC based on road design audit and space availability to KMC for streets to be
designated as a priced parking zone. KMC tenders out parking management and
fee collection to third party based on a tender agreement, the validity of which
lasts for a year after which the agency has to renew the tender. At present parking
management in KMC is done by 62 agencies hired by KMC.
Parking fees are very low compared to several other metro cities. At present it is Rs
10 per hr for car and Rs 5 for two-wheeler. During night time parking fee for car is
Rs 30 and for two-wheeler is Rs10. It is mandated that agencies collect parking fee
only through smart phone device supplied by Kolkata traffic police. All agencies
have to use the Mobile Bandhu app for collection of fees, except location without
a smart device, hand-held machines are allowed but no token or paper would be
used.
In Howrah apart from the state highway, average width of roads in Howrah is
barely 5-6 metre and is constrained for on-street parking. Howrah doesn’t have
off-street locations for parking. Bidhannagar maintains legal parking areas
which are contracted to third party management. These agencies are responsible
maintenance and revenue generation from parking for the given duration. Parking
prices are fixed by the corporation.
None of the other ULBs have reported steps towards management of parking as a
demand management measure within its jurisdiction. Given the growing vehicle
numbers and congestion, it is necessary for the ULBs begin to manage land
resources and allocation efficiently. Land is a high revenue generating resource
and also has other uses, and in urban areas where space is limited, management of
land is crucial. While organising legal parking more efficiently, the parking policy
and parking pricing need to reduce demand for parking as well.
Parking issues in smaller ULBs: Vehicle population is very low in these ULBs.
Only a handful of ulbs like Chandannagore, Bhatpara, Badyabati had some steps
taken for management for Parking. Chandannagore Municipal Corporation has
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identified one parking in the basement of a shopping complex. Ownership of
personal vehicles is very low. The issue of parking demand management is not
addressed adequately. Bhatpara has identified six legal parking areas. It has also
notified rates for two- wheelers at Rs 5 with no time restriction; for four wheelers
Rs 20 for first two hours and Rs 5 for every other additional hours and heavy
duty vehicles Rs 50 for two hours. It has adopted building bye-laws for parking
supply in private residential buildings. In buildings (G + 2 or more), 50 per cent
of the ground cover is allocated to parking for both commercial and residential
buildings. All ULBs in KMA area apply same building regulations.
ULBs have not yet explored the full revenue potential of parking as a revenue
source that can generate income for the ULBs that can be ploughed back for local
area improvement. Baidyabati for instance that has given parking contract to third
party earns Rs 16,742 per month from parking revenue.
Some ULBs have identified high footfall areas. Bansberia Municipality has
identified Bansberia Bazaar, Bansberia Station Bazaar, Tribeni Station Bazaar.
North Barrackpore Municipality has identified Manictala, Palta bazaar, Store
bazaar, Badamtala, Kanthadar, Charaktala, Anandamath, Nawabganj, Nayabasti,
SN Banerjee road, CM Shah market.
Need parking management area plans and a pricing and revenue generation
strategy: The KMA requires a parking policy and notified parking rules
as a demand management measures along with guidance framework to be
implemented across all ULBs to reduce vehicle usage and emissions.
This needs to provide for preparation and implementation of ward-wise parking

management area plans (PMAPS) to identify and demarcate on ground the legal
parking areas after considering the requirements of all other street activities
(walking vending, NMT etc). Multi-level parking needs to be decided by the
PMAPs and not planned in isolation. Also notify where parking cannot allowed
that include parks and green areas, footpaths, near traffic intersections, keep
lanes free for passage of emergency vehicles during night especially in local
and colony roads. Seek proof of access to legal parking slot for purchase of new
vehicles. Promote shared, priced and public parking facilities to optimize use of
the assets. Introduce IT based management of parking areas. Mandate provision
of charging facilities for electric vehicles in parking areas. PMAPs need to provide
for buses, commercial vehicles, para-transit and taxi aggregators.
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Introduce variable parking pricing based on duration of parking and user pay
principle. Impose penalty on illegal parking. Parking charges can also be increased
temporarily during high pollution days.
While parking pricing will increase parking revenue to earn public support use
part of the parking revenue for local area improvement.
The approach of PMAP will help to organise parking better and also reduce
demand for parking and use of personal vehicles. That will contribute towards
cleaner air. It may also be noted that the National Transit Oriented development
(TOD) Policy has also asked for capping the parking supply and reducing parking
spaces within the 500-800 meter radius around metro stations.
Thus parking implementation based on PMAP and TOD policy can help to reduce
vehicular emissions.
Action Plan: Transport and mobility

Nodal/responsible Timeline
Policy interventions Sub-region authorities
Up to one One to three Three to five
year years years
Bus system—Augmentation of Kolkata, Howrah, WBTC, HIDCO
city bus services: Bidhannagar
corporation and 12
Bus augmentation plan be municipalities that
prepared based on the service share boundary  
level benchmark of 60 buses per
lakh population.
100 per cent of fleet to have ITS,
ETVms, PIS
100 per cent of WBTC bus fleet Kolkata, Howrah,
of WBTC to be electrified. Bidhannagar
corporation and 12 
municipalities that
share boundary
Augmentation of bus route Other ULBs of
clusters to cater to the other KMA    
ULBs in KMA
Metro system: Completion of Kolkata, Howrah, Eastern Railways, 100 per cent
metro network Bidhannagar Kolkata Metro complete
Set annual targets corporation and 12  
municipalities that
share boundary
Multi-modal integration of Kolkata, Howrah, Municipal 70 per 100 per cent
metro, bus and rail stations Bidhannagar corporations, cent of the completed
a. Identify locations and corporation and 12 Kolkata Metro target to be
adopt physical multi- municipalities that Corporation, Eastern  completed
modal integration plan for share boundary Railways
implementation
96

Nodal/responsible Timeline
Policy interventions Sub-region authorities
year years years
b. Ensure all metro station has a Kolkata, Howrah, Municipal 70 per 100 per cent
bus stop within 200mts from Bidhannagar corporations, cent of the completed
exit. corporation and 12 Kolkata Metro target to be
- If not then make provisions municipalities that Corporation, Eastern completed
for rickshaw or e-rickshaw share boundary Railways

connectivity from metro to
bus stops as feeders.
- Ensure walkable footpaths for
connectivity
Multimodal integration through Kolkata, Howrah, West Bengal
integrate fare collection Bidhannagar Transport
- In 2017 WBTC had launched corporation and 12 Corporation
one fare card to be applicable municipalities that
for buses, trams and ferries. share boundary
Ensure cards can be used for  
100 % of fleet
- Integrate same card with
metro
- Install ETVM for 100% of
fleet
Adopt and implement multi Kolkata, Howrah, KMDA
modal integration norms for Bidhannagar
physical integration of modes corporation and 12 
municipalities that
share boundary
Tram network in Kolkata: Kolkata Transport

Prepare tram revival plan department
with routes and system Calcutta Tramways   
modernisation and integration
with other modes with timeline
Para transit: All ULBs Transport
Phase out old auto-rickshaws department
Replace diesel autos with  
electric autos
Infrastructure for walking, cycling and non-motorized transport
New development or All 41 ULBs Municipal

redevelopment of road network Corporations and
to be based on complete street Municipalities   
management and IRC street
design guidelines
Improvement of access road All 41 ULB Municipal 20 per cent 50 per cent 100 per cent
to railway station, bus stop jurisdiction corporation, of target of target of target
and ferry Ghats. Set targets all Municipalities completed completed completed
transit nodes.
Identify network of all All 41 ULBs Municipal 20 per cent 50 per cent 100 per cent
hierarchy of roads for signage jurisdiction Corporation, of target of target of target
and markings for pedestrians Municipalities completed completed completed
and cyclists, traffic calming
measures and pedestrianisation
of targeted streets.
97

Identify key commercial areas All 41 ULB Municipal 20 % of 50 % of 100 % of

with high footfall to be developed jurisdiction corporation, target to be target to be target to be
as low or special mobility zones Municipalities completed completed completed
to promote walking, cycling,
public transport/ clean para
transit and electric vehicles.
Parking Policy and Rules for demand management and vehicle restraint
Notify uniform Parking Policy and Kolkata, Howrah,

Rules for KMA to develop ward- Bidhannagar 
wise Parking Area Management corporation and 12
plans (PMAP) municipalities that
share boundary
Develop PMAPs for each ward Kolkata, Howrah, 20 % of 50 % of 100 % of
and adopt a roadmap for Bidhannagar KMC, HMC, BMC targeted targeted targeted
implementation corporation and 12 and Traffic police PMAPs to be PMAPs to be PMAPs to be
municipalities that implemented implemented implemented
share boundary
Implementing Parking area Municipal 10 % of 35 % of 100 % of
management plan in identified Other ULBs in Corporations and targeted targeted targeted
congested urban areas in each KMA Municipalities PMAPs to be PMAPs to be PMAPs to be
ULB implemented implemented implemented
Electric vehicles
Adopt EV policy for the KMA

area stating target, mandate,
incentives, funding strategy, Kolkata, Howrah 
network plan for public charging and Bidhannagar Transport
and making buildings ready for and Department
charging. all ULBs of KMA
Link scrappage incentive for
replacement of old vehicle with
electric vehicles.
Set electrification target for Kolkata, Howrah,
vehicle segments; priority action Bidhannagar Transport As per the As per the As per the
for 2/3 wheelers, electric buses, corporation and 12 Department timeline to timeline to timeline to
delivery fleet, taxi aggregators, municipalities that Power Department be adopted be adopted be adopted
and government owned vehicles share boundary
Develop charging network Kolkata, Howrah, Transport

and infrastructure including Bidhannagar Department As per the As per the As per the
swappable battery stations (As corporation and 12 Power Department timeline to timeline to timeline to
per the criteria being adopted) municipalities that DISCOM be adopted be adopted be adopted
share boundary Urban Development
Authority
ULBs
Battery recycling infrastructure
Collection, disposal and Urban Development 
recycling systems (as per the For KMA Department
Battery Recycling Policy 2022 of ULBs
MoEFCC)
Policy for EV retrofitment: Any

retrofitment of vehicles with Transport 
EV kit—if allowed—will require KMA department
certification by ARAI of the kit
(to discourage use of lead acid
batteries)
98

3.6 Industrial pollution
There are several industry clusters spread across KMA that are also located either
in close proximity to the ULBs or within the boundary of the municipality. As per
the data of the WBPCB, there are a total of 1221 active industries under the KMA
jurisdiction. The KMA region has 49 types of industries based on their activity
and the end product. Amongst these, the number of digital printing/printing
press based industries are the highest in the KMA region followed by hotels, food
products, railway locomotives industries, etc. (see Graph 28: Type of industries
based on area of specialization in KMA region.
Graph 31: Type of industries based on area of specialization in KMA region
Type of industries in KMA region (in percentage)
Digital Printing/ Printing press 12.12

Hotels 9.66
Food products 9.42
Railway locomoti ve/ Integrated road… 7.78
Metal extraction 5.65
Steel & engineering works 4.50
Chemical m anufacturing- Basic & electro… 4.10
Electrical 3.93
Paint & varnishes 3.77
Heavy en gin eerin g 3.85
Poly thene and plasti c products manufactur ing 3.60
Pharmaceutical 3.19
Pickling & electroplating based industr ies 2.78
Yarn / Textile processi ng 2.78
Textile printing 1.97
Jute mill 1.64
Types of industries
Oil & lubricants 1.39

Cosmetic items manufacturer 1.39
Fish processing and packing 1.31
Tobacco products 1.23
Fibre glass production 1.23
Rubber Moulded products 1.15
Diesel gen eration set 1.06
Lead aci d battery manufacturing 0.98
Petroleum products 0.90
Leather products m an ufacturer 0.82
Automobile manufacturing 0.82
Buildi ng & const. (waste water generation) 0.66
Foundry 0.57
Tim ber works 0.57
Glass & Ceramic processing 0.57
Others (industr ies below 0.5%) 4.59
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00
in percentage
Note: a) The analysis is performed based on the available data.

b) Only the ULB under the jurisdiction of KMA have been analysed.
Data source: WBPCB State Department
99

Classification of Industry based on pollution potential category in KMA region:

As per the classification of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) the industries are categorized on the basis of pollution potential
and their pollution load to understand the severity of pollution from a particular
industry, which are Red, Orange, Green and white industries in decreasing order
of severity of pollution.
The MoEFCC has developed the criteria of categorization of industrial sectors

based on the Pollution Index which is a function of the emissions (air pollutants),
effluents (water pollutants), hazardous wastes generated and consumption
of resources. For this purpose, the references are taken from the the Water
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess (Amendment) Act, 2003, standards so
far prescribed for various pollutants under Environment (Protection) Act , 1986
and Doon Valley Notification, 1989 issued by MoEFCC.
The Pollution Index (PI) of any industrial sector is a number from 0 to 100. The
increasing value of PI denotes the increasing degree of pollution load from the
industrial sector.
As per CPCB, SPCBs and MoEFCC, the following criteria on Range of Pollution
Index for the purpose of categorization of industrial sectors is used:
a) Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above—Red category
b) Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 41–59—Orange category
c) Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 21–40—Green category
d) Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score including and up to 20—White
category8
Out of 1221 active industries in the KMA region, 277 industries fall under the red
category, 812 fall under the orange category and 132 industries under the green
category industry (see Graph 32: Pollution potential of industries [category-wise]
in KMA region). The orange category industries have the highest share in the total
industries (66.5 per cent) followed by the red category industries (22.69 per cent)
and green category industries (10.81 per cent) respectively.
100

Graph 32: Pollution potential of industries (category-wise) in KMA region
Pollution potential category No. of industries in KMA
Red 277
Orange 812
Green 132
Total 1221

Classification of Industry based on scale (Large/ Medium/ Small) in KMA region

The MoEFCC and the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises has
further categorized industries into micro, small and medium enterprise on the
basis of pollution potential, investment and their turnover.9
Within the jurisdictional boundaries of the KMA region, small scale units
dominate the industrial sector followed by the medium scale industries. There
are 620 small-scale industries, 583 medium-scale industries and, 18 large-scale
industries (see Graph 33: Scale- wise industries in KMA region).
101

Graph 33: Scale-wise industries in KMA region

Large/ medium/ small scale industries (in percentage)
1.47
50.78 47.75
Large scale Medium scale Small scale
Classification of industries No. of industries in KMA
Large-scale industries 18
Medium-scale industries 583
Small-scale industries 620

Digital printing/printing press industries have the highest percentage of small-

scale industries followed by food products, steel and engineering, electrical,
paint and varnishes, polythene and plastic manufacturing, textile printing etc.
while railway locomotives and integrated transport industries have the highest
percentage of medium scale industries followed by hotels, metal extraction, heavy
engineering, pickling and electroplating industries etc. There are very few large
scale industries in the KMA region and they entail petroleum products, airport
and commercial air strips, etc. (see Graph 31: Different type of industries based on
scale in KMA region)
102

Graph 34: Different type of industries based on scale in KMA region

Pollution potential in large-, medium- and small-scale industries in KMA

region:
There are 18 large scale industries, of which 89 per cent fall under the red pollution
potential (red category) and remaining 11 per cent fall under the orange pollution
potential (orange category). Out of the 583 medium scale industries, 61 per cent
fall under the orange category, 35 under the red category and the remaining 4
percent in the green category. The total number of small scale industries are 620
of which 73 per cent are orange category, 58 per cent are red category and the
remaining fall under the green category (see Graph 35: Pollution potential in
large-, medium- and small-scale industries in KMA region)
103

Graph 35: Pollution potential in large-, medium- and small-scale industries in

KMA region
Pollution Potential in large-, medium- and small-scale industries (in percentage)
100%
58
90%
80% 35%
7 0%
60%
89% 73%
50%
40%
61%
30%
20%
10% 18%
11% 4%
0%
Large scale Medium scale Small scale
Green category industry Orange category industry Red category industry
Classification of Large-scale industries Medium-scale industries Small-scale industries

Industries (in nos.) (in nos.) (in nos.)
Red category 16 203 58
Orange category 2 357 453
Green category - 23 109
Total 18 583 620

As stated earlier, the KMA region has approximately 49 types of industries based
on the area of specialization. Amongst these, digital printing industries have the
highest number of orange category pollution potential followed by food products,
railway locomotives, steel and engineering works, electrical and heavy engineering
industries, etc. (see Graph 36: Pollution potential in different type of industries in
KMA region). The red category pollution potential is highest in metal extraction
industries followed by chemical manufacturing, pickling and electroplating, yarn/
textile processing, etc. Industries like paper and cardboard industries, flour mills,
mineral stack yard, gold and silver smelting, parboiled rice mill, water softening
plant etc. come under the green category.
104

Graph 36: Pollution potential in different type of industries in KMA region

105

Type of pollution as per the industry type in KMA region

The highly polluting industries in the region include the metal extraction, steel and
engineering works, chemical manufacturing—basic and electro chemicals, paint
and varnishes, Pharmaceutical, etc. These industries mostly come under the red
category pollution potential and contribute to different types of pollution including
air, water and hazardous waste10 (see Table 18: Type of pollution industry-wise in
KMA region). It may be noted that the potential pollution from the existing units
are mostly related to air and water and in most cases with implications for both.
Table 18: Type of pollution-industry wise in KMA region

No. of Combustion system/emission
Type of industry Type of pollution
industry sources
Heater, boiler and fibre reinforced
Digital printing/printing press 148 Air & water pollution
plastic (FRP)
Water pollution and hazardous
Hotels 118 Heater, boiler and furnace
waste
Food products 115 Air & water pollution Heater, boiler, kiln and furnace
Railway locomotive/ integrated Heater, furnace and fibre reinforced
95 Water pollution
road transport plastic (FRP)
Water polluting and toxic hazardous Heater, boiler, kiln, furnace and fibre
Metal extraction 69
waste reinforced plastic (FRP)
Steel and engineering works 56 Air pollution
plastic (FRP)
Chemical manufacturing— Heater, boiler, furnace and fibre
50 Water pollution
basic and electro reinforced plastic (FRP)
Electrical 48 Air pollution and water pollution
plastic (FRP)
Heavy engineering 47 Air and water pollution Heater and furnace
Heater, furnace and fibre reinforced
Paint and varnishes 46 Air and water pollution
plastic (FRP)
Polythene and plastic Heater, boiler and fibre reinforced
44 Air and water pollution
manufacturing plastic (FRP)
Air pollution, water pollution and Heater, boiler and fibre reinforced
Pharmaceutical 39
hazardous waste plastic (FRP)
Pickling and electroplating Heater, furnace and fibre reinforced
34 Air and water pollution
industries plastic (FRP)
Air pollution, water pollution and
Yarn/textile processing 34 Heater and boiler
hazardous waste
Textile printing 24 Heater, kiln and boiler
hazardous waste
Jute mill 20 Air and water pollution Kiln and boiler
Cosmetic items manufacturer 17 Air and water pollution
plastic (FRP)
Oil & lubricants 17 Heater and boiler
hazardous waste
Boiler and fibre reinforced plastic
Fish processing and packing 16 Water pollution
(FRP)
Fibre glass production 15 Air pollution and hazardous waste Heater and furnace
Heater and fibre reinforced plastic
Tobacco products 15 Air & water pollution
(FRP)
106

No. of Combustion system/emission
Type of industry Type of pollution
industry sources
Rubber-moulded products 14 Air pollution
plastic (FRP)
Diesel generation set 13 Air pollution Heater
Lead acid battery Heater, furnace and fibre reinforced
12 Air pollution
manufacturing plastic (FRP)
Petroleum products 11 Heater and boiler
hazardous waste
Heater and Fibre Reinforced Plastic
Automobile manufacturing 10 Air & water pollution
(FRP)
Leather products manufacturer 10 Air pollution Boiler
Building and construction 10 Air and water pollution Heater

Foundry 7 Furnace
hazardous waste
Timber works 7 Air pollution Heater, furnace and boiler
Glass and ceramic processing 7 Air pollution Heater, kiln and furnace
Furnace and fibre reinforced plastic
Metal forging 6 Air pollution
(FRP)
Vegetable oil refinery 5 Air and water pollution Boiler and heater
Heater, furnace, boiler and fibre
Recycling of hazardous waste 5 Air pollution and hazardous waste
reinforced plastic (FRP)
Bone mill 4 Water pollution Heater and rotary kiln
Cotton mills 4 Air pollution NA
Drinks and beverages 4 Air and water pollution Boiler

Paper and cardboard
4 Air and water pollution NA
packaging
Flour mills 3 Air pollution NA
Dairy products 3 Air and water pollution Boiler and heater
Gold and silver smelting 2 Air pollution Furnace

Mineral stack yard/railway
2 Air pollution and water pollution Furnace
sidings
Grinding mill 2 Air and water pollution NA
Airports and commercial air
1 Water pollution Heater
strips
Foam manufacturing 1 Air pollution and hazardous waste NA
Water softening and
1 Water pollution Heater
demineralization plant
Carbon product manufacturing 1 Air pollution NA
Hot mix plant 1 Air pollution Furnace
Parboiled rice mill 1 Air & water pollution NA

c) Industries highlighted in red are the highly polluting industries
Data source:
1. WBPCB State Department
2. Anon., February 29, 2016, Final Document on Revised Classification of Industrial Sectors Under Red, Orange, Green and White
Categories, CPCB, accessed at Latest_118_Final_Directions.pdf (moef.gov.in)
107

Emission control system in industries in KMA region

Based on the available data, wet scrubber/ alkaline scrubber is predominantly
used as an emission control system followed by bag filter, chimney stack, cyclone
separator, suction hood and exhaust fan (see Graph 37: Emission control systems
in industries in KMA region.
Graph 37: Emission control systems in industries in KMA region
Type of Emission control system (in percentage)
Wet scrubber/Alkaline scrubber 8.85

Bag Filter 7.04
Chimney/ Stack 3.85
Cyclo ne seperato r 3.19
Suction hood 2.13
Ex haust fan 1.80
ID Exhaust Fan 0.90
Settling Chamber 0.74
Electrostatic precipitat or (ESP) 0.49
Emissin control system
Common APC syst em 0.41

Dust collector 0.41
Ventury Scrubber/Vent 0.41
Spark Arrestor 0.33
Air pre-heater 0.25
Duct line 0.25
Dry absorber 0.16
Heat exchanger 0.16
Oil Filter 0.16
Electric heat chamber 0.16
Lime chamber 0.08
HEPA filter 0.08
Fume Extraction System 0.08
Recuperator 0.08
Ash 0.08
Pulse Jet Bag 0.08
Muffler 0.08
Canopy set 0.08
Centrifual 0.08
Silencer 0.08
Submersible scrubber 0.08
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00
Perecentage

108

Clean fuel strategy for industries
Access to clean fuels is a critical strategy to curb industrial pollution. The data on
fuel use is available for 499 industries in KMA and that shows that diesel/ High
speed diesel (HSD)/ Light diesel oil (LDO) dominates with 28.3 percent of these
industries. Usage of LPG and electricity are also substantial at 21.6 and 14.6 is also
quite substantial among these industrial units (see Table 19: Types of fuel usage
with number of industries) as the fuel source of the industry sector of the region,
followed by LPG and electricity (see Graph 38: Type of fuel usage in industries in
KMA region). This is not indicative of the entire industry sector as fuel use data is
not available for more than half of the industrial units.
However, 9.2 per cent are still using furnace oil that is being discouraged as part
of the national industrial fuel policy.
Graph 38: Type of fuel usage in industries in KMA region
Table 19: Types of fuel usage with number of industries

S. no. Type of fuel No. of industries
1 Diesel/high-speed diesel/light diesel oil 141
2 LPG 108
3 Electricity 73
5 Firewood/wood waste 55
4 Furnace or fuel oil 46
8 Charcoal/coke 29
6 Coal 18
7 Biomass briquette/jute caddies/rice husk 14
8 Coal gas 6
9 Kerosene oil 6
10 Petrol 2
11 Creosote oil/coal tar 1
109

Diesel/high-speed diesel/light diesel oil is consumed mostly in the food product

industries. Other industries that use diesel/high-speed diesel/light diesel oil
include pharmaceutical, chemical manufacturing, yarn/textile processing, metal
extraction, oil and lubricants etc. Other than diesel, LPG and electricity are the
second dominant fuel source used predominantly in hotels, metal extraction,
chemical manufacturing and, yarn/ textile processing industries (see Graph 39:
Fuel usage industry wise in KMA region).
Graph 39: Fuel usage industry wise in KMA region

110

Approved fuel list: Government of West Bengal vide notification no EN/1527/T-
VIII-6/01/2020 dated 13 November 2020 has banned use of petcoke and furnace
oil as industrial fuel in following areas:
• KMC, HMC, Barrackpore Municipality, Erstwhile Asansol MC, Erstwhile
Raniganj municipality, Durgapur MC, Haldia MC, Select parts of Howrah,
select parts of Asansol, Bandel and Siliguri MC
• It has notified LPG, LNG, PNG, CBM/CNG, naptha/propane/gasoline/
hydrogren/methane, biogas, HSD, LDO, Low sulphur heavy stock, RDF and
any other fuel with lesser pollution potential
This requires stringent enforcement against illegal use of unapproved fuels, and
unregulated fuels without specifications. Several progressive steps have been taken
to replace dirty fuels. Small scale coal-fired boilers have been converted to oil-fired
boilers in Salt Lake and Kolkata RO. Furnace oil and petcoke replacement being
implemented in Alipore RO and Howrah.
Direction has also been issued for using cleaner fuel in Salt Lake, Kolkata RO
and Howrah. Under progress in Alipore RO. On banning of furnace oil and pet
coke (industrial fuels with high sulphur and heavy metals), direction has been
issued to industries in Salt Lake and Kolkata RO. Under progress in Alipore RO.
There are restrictions on unauthorized fuels. Sulphur reduction in fuel has been
implemented. Hotel industry been directed to change fuel from HSD to Natural
Gas. Only LPG fired ovens are allowed in hotels within KMC
Use of several other fuel categories have been mentioned that needs assessment and
action. For instance, several industries have reported unapproved fuel categories
require action: acid fume, boiler steam, HCL, process activities, shell thermic plus,
zinc fumes, diacetylene process activities, caddies etc.
Use of clean fuels including natural gas, electricity etc. are important to sustain
air quality gains and meet the clean air targets. This needs to be supported by
the expansion of natural gas pipeline including coal bed methane. It is evident
that implementation of natural gas pipeline is underway in KMA area and can be
leveraged for clean fuel transition to replace polluting fuels. As per the Proceedings
of India-Oil-Gas-Summit, 2021, quite an extensive gas pipeline is planned in
next five years in the KMA region. 10 districts where the CGD projects are being
executed are Burdwan, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Howrah, Hoogly,
Nadia, North 24 Paranganas, South 24 Parangana and Kolkata.
The region also requires uninterrupted power supply to discourage use of diesel
111

generator sets in industrial areas. Accordingly, the infrastructure for supply of

clean fuels to industry need to be planned and implemented.
A standardised approved fuel list for the entire KMA region can help to considerably
to expand the use of natural gas (CNG, PNG, LNG); liquid petroleum gas,
electricity, bio fuels, biomass and agricultural residues (pellets, briquettes), etc.
to phase out coal and heavy fuels in this region. This will also require fuel pricing
policy to keep the cleaner fuel more competitive vis-à-vis polluting fuels like coal.
Small boilers and furnaces

In KMA, small scale and medium scale units dominate the industrial sector in
the region with boilers that are difficult to monitor and are not amenable to using
pollution control equipment. These are also energy inefficient. These are used to
generate steam for heating purposes. Fuel feeding mostly done manually without
automation that affects their technical efficiency.
Graph 40: Boilers in different type of industries in KMA region

b) Only the ULB under the jurisdiction of KMA have been analysed
112

The data from WBPCB refer to approximately 103 industries which are using a
total of 133 boilers in KMA, mostly in yarn/textile processing industries followed by
pharmaceutical, chemical manufacturing based industries, jute mill, hotels, oil and
lubricants based industries, etc. (see Graph 37: Boilers in different type of industries
in KMA region). Despite being fuel efficient, boilers emit considerable air pollution.
To reduce this emission two strategies can be followed: replacing small boilers
with common boilers wherever feasible to supply steam through pipeline in a
cluster of industrial units and access to clean fuel. There are various benefits of
replacing from individual small boilers to common boilers. It can avoid a range of
costs that include cost of installing small boilers and associated fuel cost, cost of air
pollution control devices, operation and maintenance costs and can also avoid the
need for getting environmental clearances for boilers. Common boilers can also
meet tighter emissions standards. Several states including Gujarat, Maharashtra
and Haryana are taking these steps.
Controlling emissions from furnaces: Data is available for 147 furnaces that are
installed in 84 industries in the KMA region. These industries include the metal
extraction industries, steel and engineering works, pickling and electroplating
industries, foundry, lead based industries, etc. (see Graph 41: Furnace in different
type of industries in KMA region). To reduce and minimize the furnaces running
Graph 41: Furnace in different type of industries in KMA region

Furnaces in different type of industries (in percentage)
Metal extraction 33.33

Steel and engg works 12.24
Pickling & electroplating industries 10.88
Foundry 7.48
Lead aci d battery manufacturing 7.48
Metal forgi ng 6.12
Food products 4.76
Railway locomoti ve/ Integrated road transport 3.40
Chemical manufacturing- Basic & electro 2.72
Recycling of hazardous waste 2.72
Type of industries
Hotels 2.72
Hot mix plant 1.36
Fibre glass production 1.36
Glass & Ceramic processing 1.36
Timber works 0.68
Electrical 0.68
Heavy engineering 0.68
0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00

furnace usage (in percent)

113

on polluting fuels like coal, wood and liquid fuel, a fuel phase-out plan for the
existing industries along with the installation of air pollution control devices
can be implemented. In new industries as well as where replacement is possible
induction furnaces may be installed. Replacing the old furnaces with induction
furnace is a promising option to reduce emissions from furnaces in the region.
Kilns
Available data indicate there are total five type of industries which are using total
eight kilns in their industrial units. These industries include glass and ceramic
processing industry, food product, jute mill, metal extraction and textile printing
industries (see Graph 42: Kilns in industries in KMA region).
Brick kilns: The current status of brick kilns in the KMA is not available. Earlier
sizeable number of brick kilns in the region had moved to improved zigzag kiln
Graph 42: Kilns in industries in KMA region
Kilns in different type of industries (in percentage)

60
50
Kilns (in percentage)
50
40
30
20 12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5
10
0
Glass & Ceramic Food products Jute mill Metal extraction Textile printing
processing
Type of industries
S. no. Type of industries No. of kilns
1 Glass and ceramic processing 4
2 Food products 1
3 Jute mill 1
4 Metal extraction 1
5 Textile printing 1
Total 8
114

technology. There is a need to identify all brick kilns in KMA airshed and mandate
transition to improved zigzag kiln technologies with emissions control systems
using clean fuels.
As per the MoEFCC notification issued on 22 February 2022, on emissions

standards and kiln technology, the new brick kilns will be allowed only with zigzag
technologies and will have to use approved fuel that include piped natural gas
or agricultural residues. Use of pet coke, tyre, plastic, hazardous waste etc. are
banned. This provides for tighter particulate matter emissions, and specification
for stack height by capacity of brick kilns. New and existing kilns will have to follow
the same requirements if they are within 10 km radius of non-attainment cities
and two years for other areas. All brick kilns will have to use approved fuels. Kilns
are required to construct permanent structures as per design guidelines. There
are also requirements related to process emissions/fugitive dust emissions control
guidelines. This requires ash utilization in brick making, paving of approach roads
and minimum siting criteria.
wFugitive emissions
As of now industries with high fugitive emissions including stone crushers or
mineral grinding have not been reported in the KMA area. But there are brick
kilns. If such units are reported anywhere, several dust suppressant measures can
be implemented to reduce and minimize the fugitive emissions in industries that
include water fogging, water suppression, water sprinkling, wind screen, and other
technologies etc. The fugitive emission can be reduced through the preparation of
a checklist for industrial zones and units, specific to each type of industry like brick
kilns etc or any other such industrial activities in KMA area. The zones will also
require regular monitoring.
Industrial waste burning

The industrial areas and clusters also require well defined industrial waste collection
system for proper disposal. Normally such systems are devised for hazardous
industrial wastes. But non-hazardous waste also require collection and disposal
systems otherwise these will get burnt in the open. Any such instance of industrial
waste burning in the KMA region can be reduced by planning and streamlining
the collection and disposal of industrial waste to prevent burning. Along with this,
making industries and industry associations liable for safe collection and disposal
is also equally important.
Smart monitoring of industries with CEMS

Effective surveillance and compliance requirements in industries can be
115

strengthened substantially with smart stack monitoring techniques like continuous

emissions monitoring. While installation of CEMs in industries have begun and
are being linked with the remote monitoring centres, several issues related to
quality control od data, protocol related to CEMs installation, inadequate skill,
technology selection among others.
3.6.1 Action plan: Industrial pollution

Sub- Responsible
Action Timeline
region agency
year years years
Clean fuels: Adopt and implement
standardised and amended approved fuel list
for the KMA region:
• To prevent use of heavy liquid and solid
fuels (roadmap for phase out coal, diesel
oil, light diesel oil (LDO), low sulphur heavy
stock (LSHS), pyrolysis oil, naptha etc.
• Promote relatively cleaner fuels like gas WBPCB
All
(coal bed methane, natural gas etc.) and Department
electricity.
industrial
of ICE and
 
areas of
• Discourage and phase out fuels with very MSME
KMA
high sulphur and heavy metals like furnace
oil, pet coke, tyre oil etc. (except where it is
used as feedstock like cement).
• Biomass fuels with adequate pollution
control systems
• Need for a favourable taxation and
pricing policy to make cleaner fuels more
competitive.
All
Natural gas for industrial use: Completion
of the piped natural gas infrastructure and
industrial GAIL  
areas of WBPCB
network for industrial areas in KMA
KMA
Adopt common boilers as applicable as Targeted WBPCB
appropriate and feasible: industrial Department
Identify and assess small boilers in the region areas of of ICE and
  
and replace them with common boilers on KMA MSME
clean fuels with emissions control systems
Replace old furnaces with induction furnace
WBPCB
on electricity as much as possible: Targeted
Department
Identify old furnaces and provide support industrial
of ICE and
  
for replacement with improved furnace areas of
MSME
technology. KMA
Mandate for new units
Enforce emissions standards:
• Implement of SOx and NOx standards
notified by MOEF&CC on January 29,
2018 for 15 categories of industries – as
applicable. KMA WBPCB
 
• Implement existing standards for PM
• Strengthen and implement strategies
needed for critically polluted industrial
areas.
116

Sub- Responsible
Action Timeline
region agency
year years years
Brick kilns
To identify all brick kilns in KMA airshed and
mandate transition to improved zigzag kiln
KMA WBPCB
 
technologies with emissions control systems
using clean fuels. Restrict further expansion
in KMA area.
Fugitive emissions
• To identify sources of fugitive emissions in
KMA airshed
• Minimizing fugitive emissions through the
preparation of a checklist for industrial
zones and units, specific to each type of
industry like brick kilns, stone crushers
or grinding or any other such industrial
activities in KMA area. Carry out regular
KMA WBPCB  
inspection
• Develop siting policy for cluster of
industries in KMA area
• Construction of paved roads around all
major industrial estates. Installation of dust
suppression system. Provision for water
sprinkling and dust mitigation
Strengthen CEMS monitoring for monitoring
ad compliance:
• Identify the units that need to install
Continuous Emission Monitoring System
(CEMS) across applicable polluting
industry. Ensure calibration and working of
CEMS to provide information to monitoring
agencies.
Specify the mechanism for quality control KMA WBPCB
 
and quality assurance of CEMS data and
ensure that data is available online and the
reported data is compared with applicable
prescribed limits and not the older
standards.
• Compliance checking to be enforced
routinely to prevent tampering with the
CEMS.
Burning of industrial waste WBPCB,
• A plan for each industrial area for
KMA
Department 
collection and disposal of industrial waste of ICE and
to be developed with industry association MSME
Vigilance and monitoring of each category of
industries and reporting
• Increased vigilance and monitoring on

compliance of standards for emissions from KMA WBPCB 
various categories of industries.
• Public disclosure of emission performance
by type of industry
117

3.7 Thermal power plants

Under KMA region, there are 6 districts and 41 ULBs. Within this, there are
four power plants that come under three districts which are part of KMA. Two
power stations in Kolkata (2 and 4 units), one in South 24 Parganas (three units)
and one in Hoogly (three units). All these units fall under the ‘A’ category of the
criteria which is that these plants are within 10km of the cities having a million-
plus population. The deadline for compliance for these ‘A’ category power plants is
2022 (see Table 20: Thermal power plants in KMA).
Table 20: Thermal power plants in KMA

Revised Deadline Status of
Date of Capacity FGD status
District Plant Categories deadline for other compliance
Commission (MW) (Aug. 2022)
for Sox norms wrt Sox
Southern October4, Feasibility study Will not
Kolkata 67.5 A 2024 2022
Repl. TPS 1991 completed comply
Southern December 8, Feasibility study Will not
Kolkata 67.5 A 2024 2022
Repl. TPS 1990 completed comply
Titagarh March 17, To be
Kolkata 60 A 2024 2022 -
TPS 1985 decommissioned
Titagarh December 12, To be
Kolkata 60 A 2024 2022 -
Titagarh April 26, To be
Kolkata 60 A 2024 2022 -
Titagarh January 16, To be
Kolkata 60 A 2024 2022 -
South 24 Budge September
250 A 2024 2022 Bid opened May comply
Parganas Budge TPS 16, 1997
South 24 Budge
June 3, 1999 250 A 2024 2022 Bid opened May comply
Parganas Budge TPS
South 24 Budge September
250 A 2024 2022 Bid opened May comply
Parganas Budge TPS 29, 2009
Bandapara, January 9,
Bandel TPS 60 A 2024 2022 Retired -
Hoogly 1965
Bandapara, January 10, To be
Bandel TPS 60 A 2024 2022 -
Hoogly 1965 decommissioned
Bandapara, August Feasibility study Will not
Bandel TPS 210 A 2024 2022
Hoogly 10,1982 completed comply
Source: Central Electricity Authority—CEA status report, September 2022
All the thermal power plants have to be installed with electrostatic precipitators
(ESPs) as basic air pollution control devices for control of particulate matter
emission from stacks. The standard for emission of particulate matter from
stacks of thermal power plants is 150 mg/Nm3. However, in order to reduce the
concentration of particulate matter in the ambient air, a tighter standard can
be formed by the State government. All plants were instructed to augment the
capacity of ESPs to achieve stricter emission standard. The TPPs have also installed
118

bag filters and other dust suppression measures at coal circuits for control of air
pollution during coal handling.
New emissions standards that were notified by the MOEF&CC in 2015 are yet to
be implemented. The proposed date for its implementation is 2022 though a quick
roadmap to phase in the new standards will be hugely beneficial. A transition
plan can for each plant need to be drawn up to enable that process and ensure
compliance. This will allow tighter regulations of emissions of particulate matter,
nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and mercury. The standards are designed to
enable that high pollution and carbon are not locked in the new infrastructure for
many more years—especially when industrialization is growing in the state.
About nine units are more than 30 years old. These meet the older emissions
standards. A phase-out plan will be needed to progressively close the older and
more polluting thermal power plants and to move to cleaner fuels like natural
gas. This will require more stringent stack monitoring with the help of continuous
emissions monitoring (CEMS). Fly ash utilization will have to be further scaled up.
3.7.1 Action Plan: Thermal power plants

Responsible
Policy intervention Sub-regions Timeline
agency
Up to one One to three Three to
year years five years
WBPCB
Compliance with the 2015 emissions As per the timeline notified by the
KMA
standards Department MoEFCC notifications
of Power
Monitoring of thermal power plants:
Phase-wise compliance check and
putting emission data in the public
domain
KMA WBPCB 
Permanent closure of old TPS and
move them to natural gas
Develop roadmap for retiring old WBPCB
plants.
KMA

Until retirement, operate old plants on Department
clean fuels with immediate effect of Power
Co-firing of biomass: Compliance with
the requirements of co-firing 5-10%

Biomass
Fugitive Emissions:
Strengthen fly ash management and KMA WBPCB
 
Coal Handling
Expand off-grid solar power generation
WBREDA To implement as per the roadmap and
programme for each ULB and grid KMA
WBRERC target
scale programme for KMA
119

Promote renewable energy: While cleaning up the coal power plants, generation
and utilization of renewable solar energy may also be expanded in the region.
While state-wide grid infusion of renewable energy can increase its share at the
grid scale, decentralized generation through roof top solar and in institutions can
make substantial difference to bring in clean power.
According to the Department of Non-conventional energy sources, GoWB, during

2017–18, WBREDA initiated 1,000 school programmes under the Aloshree
Scheme. WBREDA has installed rooftop grid connected PV power plants at
government buildings during 2017–19.
West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBRERC) and WBREDA have
facilitated grid compatibility clearance for rooftop PV power plants installed at
government and private buildings. This facilitates adoption of net-metering. Other
renewable energy programmes are solar park located in Goaltore, East Medinipur
and Aloshree (PDCL 20.58 MW, WBREDA 2.4 MW) programmes.
It is desirable that this is scaled up for the KMA region and a suitable roadmap
is developed for each ULB (see Table 21: Solar capacity under off-grid SPV
programme in West Bengal).
Table 21: Solar capacity under off-grid SPV programme in West Bengal
Implementing agency Capacity in MW
WBREDA 22.6
WBREDA (ongoing programme) 9.90
WBGEDCL 3.52
WBSEDCL 12.54
WBSEDCL (off-grid char area rooftop) 4.30
WBPDCL 10.54
CESC (till 2019) 37.40
Private developers till 2019 27.50
Total 128.30
Source: Data provided by West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency
120

3.8 Roads and open areas
Source apportionment and emission inventory studies show high impact of dust
as loose crustal soil gets wind-blown and road dust gets resuspended due to
passage of vehicles on paved and unpaved roads. Resuspension of road dust due to
vehicular traffic is of special concern. In urban areas, road dust is a carrier of toxins
from combustion sources and therefore can be harmful. However, the strategy to
address this problem has to be diverse and not limited to only road cleaning and
sweeping. A lot of this problem is also created by mismanaged urban construction
and roads.
In Kolkata Metropolitan Area in several urban local bodies scientific dust

management practices are still taking root. Most ULBs carryout manual sweeping
with hard brooms however many ULBs have also begun water sprinkling which
can suppress the dust particles. However in case the dust is not managed well
it can overwhelm the air quality improvement plans for a city. With better road
design, greening and landscaping the dust can be managed (see Table 22: Nature
of action taken on road dust in ULBs)
Table 22: Nature of action taken on road dust in ULBs

KMA Core area: Kolkata, Howrah and Bidhannagar
• Road cleaning, sweeping:
• In order to control pollution from road dust the Kolkata Municipal Corporation carries out water
sprinkling. 20 water sprinklers are regularly used on strategic stretches. Tender for procurement of
another 20 water sprinklers has been floated to cover more areas of the city. Currently, 545 km of street
surfaces are being regularly cleaned (with 2 Mist Cannons and 20 water sprinklers).
• A fleet of sixteen (16) dedicated vehicles is deployed by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board at
different locations in Kolkata and adjoining areas, including Howrah and Bidhannagar. Five-year AMC for
watering at different air pollution hotspots in the city of Howrah.
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder:
• KMC is maintaining green median strips along the important roads stretches (over 30 km). Roadside
Kolkata
plantations of different species with 4–6-feet-high saplings (neem, jarula, asoke, bakul, sarna champa,
arjun, weeping debdaru, mahogany and different fruit-bearing plants based on the recommendations
of the West Bengal Bio-diversity Board. Monsoon of 2020—KMC planted approx. 18,000 of roadside
plants. 12 vehicles fitted with water sprinkler jets are regularly used for watering newly planted saplings,
washing of leaves of the trees on main traffic corridors and also for watering of greenery within KMC
area.
• WBPCB has completed plantation of 17,000 seedlings at different places within 25 km radius of Paribesh
Bhawan under Bidhan Nagar Municipal Corporation area alongside VIP road (from HUDCO Bhaban to
Dum Dum Airport). Further plantation of 7,000 seedlings of different species has been undertaken at the
Newtown-Rajarhat Satellite Township.
• Howrah Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with the Forest Department, has started work for 15.8
km Avenue Plantation. The concept of vertical garden has been adopted in some traffic congested areas
of HMC. A total budget of Rs 50 lakh has been provided for this purpose.
Howrah
• Howrah police has informed that to improve damaged road stretches proposal letter has been sent to
concerned authorities (PWD,HMC,NHAI) for reconstruction of damaged roads
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• Road length: total road length of BMC is 728.36 km

• Two mechanical sweepers available; not in operation for the last nine months; six additional mechanical
sweepers are required
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: 182.09 km
Bidhannagar
60.73 km;
• ULB has provided a separate list of plantation and maintenance of boulevard which has been done in
39.81 km (along with a detailed list of locations provided)
Other ULBs of KMA
• Sprinkling of water before sweeping of roads: it is done in 34 km out of total road length of 147 km—1.
Zamindar Road; 2. NT Road; 3. SCM Road; 4. Sarkar Para Road; 5. Bhattcharjee Garden Road; 6. Trenching
Ground and RMC Road; 7. Nursery Road; 8. Ramkrishna Road; 9. Baidyabati Station Road; 10. Sheoraphuli
Station Road
Baidyabati
• Sweeping: it is done on eight major roads; ULB is going to start sweeping on other roads very soon,
though water sprinkling is done on each and every roads and it is using treated water
• Planting of grass: in roadside, right of way, pavement side has begun on 2 km road stretch of RWMC Road
• Planting small herbs and shrubs: on roadside, side of pavement, road shoulder has begun on 2.5 km of GT
Road and this process will be continued in future
• Sweeping: 17 KM of road stretch sweeping is done once in a week. ULB has no mechanical sweeper. ULB
has arterial road 43 km (approximately), Sub-arterial 130 km (approximately)
Bally • Road repair: ULB has identified road stretches that require and street redevelopment. ULB has submitted
DPR to UDMA of 17 km damaged municipal road.
• Greening: DPR will be submitted to SUDA for 5 km municipal road.
• Road categories: Black-top road—106.73 km, concrete road—58.85 km, kuchcha road—2.80 km, brick-
paved road—14.50 km
• Road sweeping: 40 km road sweeping done every day for six days a week. Municipality have no such
Bansberia mechanical sweeper.
• Roads requiring repairing: Tribeni More to Kalitala More—2,000 metre, Tribeni More to Burning Ghat—
400 metre, Tribeni More to Tribeni bus stand—400 metre
• Greening of road stretches: DPR will be prepared for 2 km municipal road and will be submitted to SUDA
• Road categories: Black-top road—94.28 km, concrete road—93.83 km, kuchcha road—1.77 km, brick-
Baranagar
paved road—2.91 km
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: About 40 km; dust disposal done by manual sweeping
about 15 km per day. There are no mechanical sweepers.
Barasat • Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: about 150 km
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: ULB
has set quarterly target to complete the entire network about 20 km
• Sweeping: at present there are no provision for mechanical sweeping.
Baruipur
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: 70 km
• Sweeping: sprinkling of water then manual sweeping of roads; 15 km cleaned every day; at present there
are no mechanical sweepers; ULB needs five mechanical sweepers for five hour of operation to cover 15
Bhadreswar km per day
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: total 80 km
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: total
50 km
• Road categories: (a). 369.95 km ULB-owned road; from ward no.01 to 35; single lane (b). 14 PWD roads,
single lane (c). Arterial road: NIL (d). Sub-arterial road length: 14 km, single lane (e). Collector road
length: 346 km approx., single lane (f). Colony road: 23 km approx. single lane
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: No such roads;
Bhatpara • Sweeping: water tanker with sprinkler mechanism used currently on daily basis while sweeping of road
and cleaning of footpaths; there are no mechanical sweepers
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: 20 km
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: plan
will be prepared in due course
122

• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: 5.5 km
• Seeping: no mechanical sweepers at present
Budge Budge • Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: 22.5 km within 18 months
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: no
scope
• Road details: average width, ownership and number of lanes of arterial, sub arterial, collector roads, and
colony roads provided (detailed list).
• Sweeping: no mechanical sweepers in operation, and manual sweeping is done; two mechanical sweepers
are needed with 8 hours of operation covering around 50 km of road
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: 5.5 km on GT road and other internal roads, of these
Champdany
hotspots 3 km are cleaned per day
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: a stretch of PBM road 1 km to be completed
in one year
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: 1 km
at various locations of ULB
Chandernagore • No information available
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: There is total 315 km of roads under this municipality
area within which 10 km road is needed priority action as these are dust hotspot.
• Sweeping: Manual sweeping done on alternate day basis but due to non-availability of machinery no
machinery sweeping done till date
Dankuni • Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: TN Mukerjee Road—3 km , Naity road—2
km , Benaras road—2 km
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: The
roads where greening can be done by plantation of trees include NH2, Delhi road, Benaras road, Naity
road
• Road details: Road maintained by (a) ULB: 158.2 km (b) P.W.D: 7 km (c) Highway Authority: 3 km
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: 25 km; road sweeping daily; at present there are no
mechanical sweepers, 2 are needed to fill the gap to clean the hotspots
Dum Dum
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: 11
km
Garulia • No information available
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: approx. 20 km not cleaned
Gayeshpur • Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: 20 km
Halisahar • No information available
• Road categories: Arterial Road 16 km, Sub Arterial Road 60 km, Collector Road 150 km
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: 16 km/day
Haringhata
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: 14
km
• No existing mechanical sweepers in this ULB; 17 mechanical sweeper needed
Hooghly
• No information available
Chinsurah
Kalyani • No information
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: NA
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: approx. 110 km
Kamarhati
approx. 180 km
• Road network length: 173.01 km (44.54 km is maintained by Eastern rail and 128.47 km is maintained by
ULB)
• Sweeping: ULB carries out 95 km of roads cleaning; presently manual sweeping is practiced and water
tank is used for road washing;
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: At present heavy dust generated due to construction
of Barrackpore Expressway in our jurisdiction; total length is approx 1.5 km. ULB has identified around 12
Kanchrapara
congested road stretches which are regularly cleaned to remove the dust;
already roadside plantation done in various places in municipal jurisdiction; also the municipality is
planning to take an imitative for road side plantation in the area of entire Dharamvir colony road beside
of Irrigation Canal (ward numbers 5 and 7–11)
123

Khardah • No information
Konnagar • No information
Madhyamgram • No information
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: Budge Budge Trunk road—10 km, Biren Roy Road
(west)—6 km, Santoshpur Station to Nature Park Road—12km, Akra Road (Dakghar More to 259 bus
stand)—12 km, Memanpur Road—4 km, Chata Subid Ali Road—3 km, Nangi station Road—3 km,vKasturi
Das Sarani—3 km
• Sweeping: At present no Mechanical sweepers is in operation. Quarterly target-procurement of one
number mechanical sweeper by the first quarter of 2023. Hours of operation will be eight hours covering
20 km/day.
Maheshtala
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: The major roads BBT Road, Santoshpur-
Nature Park road and Biren Roy Road (West) are maintained by PWD. Chata Subid Ali Road is maintained
by South 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad; other roads are maintained by Maheshtala Municipality.
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: Only
the B.B.T. Road is suitable for central greening and greening of pavement. There is space to provide for
greening of pavement across the Kasturi Das road. Central greening across the Santoshpur-Nature Park
may be taken up quarterly target for central greening in first quarter of 2023.
Naihati • No information
• Road categories: one arterial road and several sub-arterial road and no collector road
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: total affected road: 1.5 km. Schedule of cleaning: by
road sweeping every day in week except Monday
New
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: Meghnad Saha Sarani (3km),Vivekananda
Barrackpore
Road (1/2 km), Bankim Chatterjee Road (1/2 km)
• Sweeping: ULB 26 road sweepers and they use hardbroom to clean the road
North
• No information
Barrackpore
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: Kalyani Express Way More (Pubpara–Kalyani Express
way more 3 km); Birati More (Banik More to Birati More 1.5 km); Banik More (Banik More to Kalyani
Expressway More 3 km)
• Sweeping: above mentioned areas are swept daily and water is sprinkled mostly during peak dry months
North Dum
(November–May) The dust is carried by trailers to the common dumping ground
Dum
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: over 300 km
Along the following roads: Jessore Road (3 km), G.B Road (1 km), Belghotia Express Way (5 km), Kalyani
Expressway (2 km), MB Road (3 km)
Pujali • No information
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: not yet implemented
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: need expertise for assistance in this regard
Rajpur
Under process
Sonarpur
• Note: Road dust control projects are not active in this municipality – neither manual nor mechanical
process has been established, however a planning is underway. The ULB is preparing a DPR for eco-
friendly road, avenue plantation among others. ULB is seeking guidance from experts in this regard.
• Road categories: arterial-10km, sub-arterial-90,collector roads-40
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: RBC Road 2 km, Maitripath 1 km, PGB Sarani 1 km
• Sweeping: schedule for cleaning in morning. After sweeping dust is collected and transported to SLF for
disposal; 4 km hotspot is cleaned everyday
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: 14 km of road identified out of total road
Rishra
length in the municipal areas that require repair, paving or street redevelopment to be completed by end of
2023
of road and 4 km of pavement identified for greening and plantation. Quarterly target 3.4 km.
• Three mechanical sweeper to be operated very soon after receiving necessary fund
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: six roads along with wards identified
• Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: ULB
Serampore
has given a list of 16 parks; planning for plantation is going on
• No mechanical sweeper
124

South Dum
• No information
Dum
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: BT Road (approx 3 km)
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment (approx. 9.2 km)
Titagarh • Road stretches that require greening of central verges and greening of pavement and road shoulder: Both
sides of BT Road
• Two mechanical sweepers are required
• Road stretches that are dust hotspots for cleaning: Fort Gloster, East Burikhali, Premchand industrial
belt, Ladlow industrial belt, Kalsapa industrial belt, Fuleswar industrial belt, Uluberia town and Nimdighi
(about 190.5 km total)
• Sweeping; regular manual sweeping is done with sprinkling of water; no mechanical sweeping
• Road stretches that require repair and street redevelopment: The Uluberia Municipality is comprised of 4
Uluberia zones, road repairing is required in these zones, in Uluberia, Bauria, Fuleswar and Chengali about 118.75 km.
Road reconstruction of redevelopment is required for about 142.65 km
Plantation required at about 165 km, along the bank of the Ganga river starting from Jagdishpur in
the south to North Mill in the north, in and around all the primary and high schools, in and around the
healthcare buildings and municipal buildings
Uttarpara
• No information
Kotrang
The ULBs need technical and knowledge support to design, maintain, green the
road stretches because there are more than two agencies involved in managing
the roads and also the road categories vary so there has to be design and
management guidelines for arterial roads, sub arterial roads, collector roads,
and colony roads. Similarly there has to management guidelines for pukka
roads (black topped roads, concrete roads, brick paved) and kucha roads. All
sweeping strategies and also drain cleaning strategies require scientific disposal
of collected dust.
The strategy to address dust needs diverse approach and not remain limited
to only road cleaning. This requires regular audit of the road network to
identify the unpaved or damaged roads, unpaved road shoulders and
pavements and dug up stretches for more targeted action. Targeted road network
should be redeveloped according to street design guidelines and including the
carriageway and the pavements. Increase green cover along the road length,
central verges and open areas. Additionally ensure paving or gravel paving of all
haul routes and enforcement of truck loading and unloading guidelines. Even
while constructing roads enforce air pollution control measures in concrete
batching (use of water spray, wind breakers, bag filters at silos and enclosures,
hoods and curtains etc.).
All construction agencies need to set up dust control cell.
All ULBs require a focus on construction of high quality climate resilient roads,
maintenance plan, hot spot management. Municipal ward-wise street network
125

redevelopment plans for paving and greening as per the IRC guidelines, without
impeding the of other road users especially the pedestrians.
Hotspot action also require desilting of canals and/or nullah sides roads with brick
lining, dedicated helpline with MIS support, and citizen’s interface to enable geo-
tagging of complaint.
Urban greening agenda with greening of open areas, creation and protection of
gardens, parks, vertical greenery, protection of all categories of forests, and green
walling.
Action Plan: Road dust

Timeline
One to three Three to
Policy intervention Sub region Responsible agency up to one
years five years
year
At least
KMC, HMC, BMC,
Kolkata, Howrah, 20%
Paving/Greening of PWD and all other Complete
Bidhannagar and of the
Central Verges. road owning implementation
other ULBs planned
agencies
target
Paving, greening of
sidewalks and open ULBs and all road
areas along roads and construction, At least 20
Kolkata, Howrah, 100 per
right of ways including maintenance per cent of
Bidhannagar and cent
in industrial areas as and infrastructure the planned
other ULBs
per the appropriate development target
IRC street design agencies
guidelines
Kolkata, Howrah, State highway
Scientific study on use To be
Bidhannagar and authority of India,
of dust suppressants completed
other ULBs NHAI, PWD
ULBs and all road 50 per cent of
Procurement of
construction, 25 per the planned
additional mechanical Kolkata, Howrah,
maintenance cent of the 100 per
sweeping and Bidhannagar and
and infrastructure planned 75 per cent of cent
sprinkling machines as other ULBs
development target the planned
per requirement.
agencies
Use of dust ULBs and all road
suppressants (in construction,
addition Kolkata, Howrah, maintenance To be
to water) in Bidhannagar and infrastructure completed
mechanized road development
sweeping activities agencies
Use of water sprinkler ULBs and all road
jets, anti-smog guns at construction,
Kolkata, Howrah,
road construction and maintenance √
Bidhannagar and
redevelopment sites, and infrastructure
other ULBs
preferably with dust development
suppressants agencies
126

Timeline
One to three Three to
Policy intervention Sub region Responsible agency up to one
years five years
year
Classify road and their Kolkata, Howrah, KMC, HMC, BMC, To be
dust control measures Bidhannagar and PWD and all other completed
• Major roads (Arterial other ULBs road owning
& sub arterial road) agencies
to have end to end
paving, sweeping
(mechanical or
manual) & green
belts and corridors.
• Intermediate roads
(collector road) to
have end to end
paving. sweeping
(mechanical or
manual), green belts
and corridors.
• Local street:
Daily manual
sweeping, frequent
maintenance (black
topping potholes
removal etc.)
and plantations
wherever feasible
3.9 Crop residue burning

Burning of crop residues during the two harvest time in a year is episodic in nature.
But when it happens it contributes considerably to the air quality of the region and
has trans-boundary effect. While the impact of the problem of agricultural stubble
burning or crop residues is well known in northern India, it has not been properly
evaluated in eastern India. There is also the aspect of forest fire in the region that
requires scrutiny. Pollution from such fires is seasonal and episodic.
The emission inventory by SAFAR estimates that crop residue burning contributes
to 1.1 per cent of PM2.5 and 0.8 per cent of PM10 emissions of Kolkata which an
urban area. But the local impacts and exposures in close proximity to burning can
be considerable. In the absence of alternative methods of disposal farmers resort
to burning of the crop waste.
The satellite imagery from NASA shows expanse of fires in the KMA region and
surrounding regions, especially during the harvest time period which is from
September 15 to November 15, 2021. The fires look very extensive and are likely
to impact the urban air quality in the KMA region (see Map 15: Winter harvest—
September 15–November 15, 2021 and Map 16: Summer harvest—March 1–April
30, 2022).
127

Map 15: Winter harvest—September15–November 15, 2021
Source: NASA, accessed at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov (as accessed on October 7, 2022)
128

Map 16: Summer harvest—March 1–April 30, 2022
Source: NASA, accessed at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov (as accessed on October 7, 2022)
129

The Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal vide notification

no En/242/0-10/2019 dated February 5, 2010 has prohibited the open burning of
crop residues.
However, its proper implementation will require both in-situ and ex-situ solutions.
The in-situ treatment of biomass residues management include schemes for
procurement of agriculture machinery that help to mulch the residue in the field,
establishment of farm machinery banks, and use of decomposer that can speed up
decomposition and preparation of compost quicker.
The ex-situ treatment of biomass residues management will require schemes for
balers/ pellet/ briquette machines. Industrial applications, biomass power and
production of bio-fuels and miscellaneous applications etc. that can absorb the
residue. It may noted that there is already a central mandate for all power plants
to use biomass pellets blended with coal for co-firing in thermal power plant. This
can be leveraged.
The ex-situ measure can add economic value to the crop residues and incentivize
the farmers to adopt technologies that help to mix and mulch the stubble in the
soil instead of burning. Business model to re-utilize the straw to generate power
and make other fuels and materials from them creates economic incentives. Such
initiatives at the early stages can prevent the problem from growing. The incidence
of forest fires will require assessment.
In West Bengal, crop residues such as straw are being used for industrial use (paper,
power plant and bio-char plant), agricultural use (bio-composting and cellulose
capsule, speed compost, cattle fields, mushroom production), composting etc.
Promotion of agricultural machinery for in-situ management of crop residue

is being done by the department of Agriculture in the state. The subsidy is
provided to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. During 2021–
22, procurement of 21 machines was done by the state which includes happy
seeder, baler, multi-crop planter, and super seeder. Different straw management
machinery like 185 zero tillage machine, 190 mulchers, four super management
systems, 69 baler, one happy seeder, and two supper seeders distributed under
Custom Hiring Centre up to 2021–22. For straw management technology, 25 lakhs
and for composting/ bio-gas digesters 30 lakhs have been allocated in six districts
of WB (Birbhum, Coochbeha, Hooghly, Murshidabad, Paschim Burdwan, Purba
Burdwan).
130

The crop residue management programme was taken up in the year 2019-20
with financial support from Rashtriya Krishi Vikas (RKVY). More thrust has
been given to re-use of the residues and field demonstration of those and a larger
project has been taken up under RKVY. Around five crores have been allocated in
11 districts of West Bengal (Bankura, Birbhum, Coochbeha, Hooghly, Jhargram,
Murshidabad, Nadia, Paschim Burdwan, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Burdwan,
Purba Medinipur). Different stakeholders including the farmers, entrepreneurs
of custom hiring centres of farm machinery, self-help groups, farmer clubs,
co-operative societies etc. are covered under the RKVY and emphasis also given by
the state government providing additional funding through the State Dev Scheme
for promotion of CHC. There is also considerable interest in bio decomposers.
The most affected districts in West Bengal are Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Purba
Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, Bankura, Uttar
Dinajpur, and Dakshin Dinajpur and money has been allocated in 20 districts for
public awareness (Rs 138 lakh), training (Rs 48 lakh) and demonstration (Rs 15
lakh). In KMA, the districts of Nadia, Howrah and Kolkata are the most affected.
3.9.1 Action plan: Crop residue burning

Sub- Responsible
Policy interventions Timeline
regions agency
One to
Up to one Three to
three
year five years
years
Paddy straw management Department

through various in-situ and of Agriculture,
KMA 
measures. (provide machinery
districts
State 
to farmers to mulch the straw in Government of
the field) West Bengal
Promotion of biomass for

various ex-situ applications viz. Department
as fuel in industrial boilers, brick of Agriculture,
KMA 
kilns, TPPs, power generation,
districts
State  
composting, bio-fuel, biogas government of
production, biomass power, West Bengal
paper, packaging industry etc.
Enhanced utilization of biomass

for co-firing with coal in thermal KMA Department of
power plants as per statutory districts Power

directions in this context.
131

3.10 Household fuels

Use of solid fuels for domestic cooking has significant impact not only on indoor
air quality and exposures but also on outdoor air quality with serious public health
consequences. The 2015 report of the Steering Committee on Air Pollution and
health related issues of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare states that
household air pollution due to use of solid fuels is responsible for 20–30 per cent
of the outdoor air pollution. Household pollution has very high health impact.
The advisory on the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) of the MOEF&CC
has recommended installation of rural air quality monitoring as well. Availability
of cheap solid fuel such as coal, firewood and crop residues must be countered with
fiscal incentives to make clean fuels economically viable for domestic use.
According to the KMC, as per the SAFAR emission inventory for Kolkata around
one-third of the urban population live in slums where access to clean fuel is
limited. Khidderpore, Garden Reach, Park Circus and MG Road are some of
the popular slum localities with high slum density. According to the emission
inventory, household pollution contributes to 1.15 per cent of PM2.5 and 3.5 per
cent of PM10 emissions.
NEERI’s the emission inventory for KMC shows that household pollution
contributes to around 13 per cent of PM10 and around 28 per cent of PM2.5. The
emission inventory for HMC shows households contribute 1.5 per cent to PM10
and around 4 per cent to PM2.5.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMYU) and direct benefit transfer
to LPG consumers combined with state government initiative the household
use of LPG has expanded considerably. But for low income households there are
issues of sustained supply, delayed refill, continued mixed fuel use by households
due to economic reasons. Moreover, cities have fairly large migrant and floating
population who do not have access to legal LPG connection.
In addition, there are large number of open eateries that use solid fuels. It is
necessary to mandatorily link their license to operate with use of LPG. electricity,
or any other clean fuel. Already, responding to the evidence from the NEERI study
has taken the initiative to distribute LPG to the open eateries to help with the
phase out of solid fuels. As per the Proceedings of India-Oil-Gas-Summit, 2021,
quite an extensive gas pipeline is planned in next five years in the KMA region.
10 districts where the CGD projects are being executed are Burdwan, Darjeeling,
Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Howrah, Hoogly, Nadia, North 24 Paranganas, South
24 Parangana and Kolkata.
132

3.10.1 Action plan: Household pollution
Policy interventions Responsible agency
A targeted programme to be implemented for 100 per cent coverage Department of Power and NES, District
of households with LPG/PNG/electric induction stoves and local administration
In low-income neighbourhoods, as well as roadside eateries, dhabas,
restaurants etc. promote and give access to LPG and electricity.
Mandate and link commercial license to clean fuels.
3.11 Greening and plantation programmes

Dust and pollution mitigation through forest sinks is important to control pollution.
This green walling is needed against desertification and ingress of dust and
cleansing of toxic gases. According to the State of India’s Report 2021, Kolkata has
seen a 30 per cent decrease in its forest cover between 2011 and 2021. The districts
in KMA already have a very small share of forest and green cover compared to their
total geographical areas (see Table 22: District-wise distribution of geographical
area and recorded forest area in KMA).
Table 22: District-wise distribution of geographical area and recorded forest

area in KMA
Geographical area of Recorded forest Recorded forest area (in
S. no. District
districts (sq. km) area (sq. km) per cent)
1 Hugli 3,149 3 0.1
2 Nadia 3,927 12 0.3
3 Kolkata 104 0 0
4 Haora 1,467 0 0
5 South 24 Parganas 10,159 4,221 41.54
6 North 24 Parganas 3,977 43 1.08
Source: Annual Administrative Report 2017–18 of Forest Directorate, Government of West Bengal
At the national level, the National Mission for a Green India has been revised in
line with the Nationally Determined Commitment (NDC) target. Afforestation of
over 24 million hectare is targeted in convergence with ongoing central and state
government schemes and funds available under CAMPA. Currently, a central level
MIS for tracking scheme-wise and state-wise outcomes is being developed. This
can be further refined for the entire KMA region.
For this report, Landsat 8 satellite data was extracted from the US Geographical
Survey (USGS) website. While remote sensing has proven to be a powerful tool for
monitoring land surfaces around the world, there are some limitations to using
this remote sensing and image classfication for studying land cover in a region. But
this provides an indicative scenario (see Graph 40: Land cover shares in Kolkata
Metropolitan Area).
133

Graph 43: Land cover shares in Kolkata Metropolitan Area
Forest / Heavy
Vegetation
3% Wetlands/Water Bodies
2%
Agriculture/Light Built-up
Vegetation 75%
20%
Source: Centre for Science and Environment Analysis

Note: The percentages are after excluding the area of the Hooghly river from the total area.
Map 17: Land cover map of Kolkata Metropolitan Area
Source: Centre for Science and Environment Analysis
134

3.11.1 Action plan: Greening and plantations
Policy interventions Sub- regions Responsible agencies Timeline
year years years
Expanding the net of “urban
forests, wherever feasible,
Forest Department
in urban agglomerations of
KMA And UDMA
KMA, including adoption of As per plan to be developed
districts Department, West
MIYAWAKI technique for
Bengal government
dense plantation in limited
urban spaces”.
Mass plantation drives
focusing on proper
Forest Department
nurturing and better
KMA and UDMA
survival rate, prioritising As per plan to be developed
districts Department, West
native species and
Bengal government
protection of all categories
of forest areas.
Target-oriented action
plans for greening/paving
KMA Road owning agencies,
of central verges and As per plan to be developed
districts ULBs, PWD, NHAI
sidewalks along the entire
road network.
135

4. Strengthen institutional
framework for implementation
of clean air programme
The Clean Air Action Plan for KMA requires strengthening institutional process
and systems for aligned and harmonized action with strong accountability and
transparent monitoring for compliance. Action needs to be measurable and
verifiable to be able to meet the clean air targets and the NAAQS at the end of the
plan period.
This requires strong alignment of multi-sector plans, programmes, funding

strategies to establish priorities in each sector.
In each sector of pollution control policies and regulations have evolved

considerably to set the regulatory standards, compliance strategy and deterrence
frameworks. This needs to be fully leveraged.
This can enable alignment of different funding streams and gap financing through
central and state level funding and other financing means. Funding strategies in
all sectors need to be consistent with the objective of clean air action.
Even though Programme Monitoring Units or Air Pollution Cells are being set up,
this requires strong monitoring methods for tracking compliance against targets,
detailed standard operating procedures (SOP) and management information
systems (MIS) for targeted strategies within each department. This requires
adequate detailing of scope of action at the departmental level.
Strengthen institutional, regulatory and technical capacity of the departments to

enable planning and implementation of clean air programme.
Adopt appropriate protocol for data recording and reporting to leverage the
dataset monitoring implementation. Build transparency and public disclosures
systems. Develop enforcement protocols and grievance redressal mechanisms.
136

4.1 Funding strategies
The state of West Bengal has received funds under both the Fifteenth finance
commission for Kolkata Urban Agglomeration which is the entire KMA and
under NCAP for the non-attainment of Kolkata, Barrackpore and Howrah (see
Table 23: Funding information for the state of West Bengal). The resources for the
implementation of clean air action plans (CAPs) will be combined from a number
of Central Government programmes, including SBM (Urban), AMRUT, Smart
City Mission, SATAT, FAME-II, etc., and resources from the State Government.
The funding from NCAP and XV Finance Commission is a performance-based
supplemental grant for funding a critical gap in CAP.
Table 23: Funding information for the state of West Bengal

Funds released under NCAP till 2021–22 (Rs crore)
Kolkata 536.5
Barrackpore 2
Howrah 5
Funds released as per recommendations of XV Finance Commission in FY 2020–21 (Rs crore)
Kolkata 385
Funds released as per recommendations of XV Finance Commission in FY 2021–22 (Rs crore)
Kolkata 145.5
Source: a) PRANA portal accessible at

b) XV Finance Commission report
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has listed
the Central government programmes and schemes along with their budgetary
allotments that can aid clean air action and has recommended implementing a
convergence of these schemes and funding streams to leverage the efforts and
eliminate any bottlenecks. Along with this, the key indicators of spending in
the KMA region must be taken into account when allocating funds. At the same
time, pinpointing the funding shortages so that more money can be distributed
in accordance with the priorities and specifics of each sector’s strategies. This can
be achieved with demarcation of responsibilities and roles through well-defined
policies.
This may be further supported with innovative fiscal instruments to generate

additional revenue and make subsidies and incentives more revenue neutral.
Specific funding instruments are already available in different sectors that
137

can be aligned for maximizing gains on air quality indicators. These include
SBM2.0, FAMEII, spending on infrastructure among others. Several market
based instruments may be explored to incentivize industrial and private sector
investments in pollution control.
This funding for pollution abatement measures is performance linked. In the

coming years, this grant will be performance linked through Million-plus cities
Challenge Fund (MCF) and will be governed by a Tripartite Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between MoEFCC, the state government and the
concerned ULB for a year-wise action plan. Responsibility of the nodal entity will
be to achieve performance indicators.
Performance is being judged based on a range of criteria that include strengthening

of pollution monitoring mechanism; source-wise cause analysis for air pollution;
progress on action plans and compliance with statutory guidelines; quantification
and evaluation of air quality improvements; reduction in air pollution level
(particulate matter) and frequency of exceedance in AQI levels. These parameters
has been weighted for the release of grants in FY 2021–22. West Bengal has qualified
for the next tranche of grant. For the release of grants from FY 2022–23 onwards,
100 per cent weightage will be given to the quantification and evaluation of air
quality improvements. Funding is now getting linked with the stratified according
to the level of performance. Such a framework for funding can be internalised and
adopted for sectoral funding in KMA. Similarly, as noted earlier, SBM 2.0 grant
for waste management is also performance linked.
Thus, defining the scope of action and strategy development for implementation
and funding are critical for efficient use of the available and augmented funds.
138

References
1. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI),
2019. PM10 and PM2.5 Source Apportionment Study and Development of
Emission Inventory of Twin Cities Kolkata and Howrah of West Bengal. West
Bengal Pollution Control Board, Kolkata.
2. Poonam Mangaraj, Saroj Kumar Sahu, Gufran Beig, Ravi Yadav, 2022. A
comprehensive high‑resolution gridded emission inventory of anthropogenic
sources of air pollutants in Indian megacity Kolkata.
3. Bose Institute 2021, Sources of poor air quality and long-term variability over
Kolkata, in Asian Atmospheric Pollution, Elsevier publication.
4. https://www.wbpcb.gov.in/files/Fr-09-2021-09-10-01SoE%20Report%20
VOL%2002.pdf
5. h tt p s : / /w w w. k m c go v. i n / K M C Po r t a l /d o w n l o a d s / B l d g _ c o m m u n i -
que_18_10_12_2021.pdf
6. Centre for Science and Environment 2022, A rapid survey of influence areas
around the metro stations.
7. Website of Kolkata Municipal Corporation
8. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, March 5, 2016,
‘Re-Categorisation of Industries a landmark decision, new category of white
industries will not require environmental clearance’: Javadekar, accessed at
Environment Ministry releases new categorisation of industries (pib.gov.in)
openpdffile.php (cpcb.nic.in)
9. The Gazette of India, June 1, 2020, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises Notification, accessed at Gazette-notification.pdf (dcmsme.gov.in)
10. Anon., February 29, 2016, Final Document on Revised Classification of
Industrial Sectors Under Red, Orange, Green and White Categories, CPCB,
accessed at Latest_118_Final_Directions.pdf (moef.gov.in)
139

Annexure
140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

References
1. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI),
2019. PM10 and PM2.5 Source Apportionment Study and Development of
Emission Inventory of Twin Cities Kolkata and Howrah of West Bengal. West
Bengal Pollution Control Board, Kolkata.
2. Poonam Mangaraj, Saroj Kumar Sahu, Gufran Beig, Ravi Yadav, 2022. A
comprehensive high‑resolution gridded emission inventory of anthropogenic
sources of air pollutants in Indian megacity Kolkata.
3. Bose Institute 2021, Sources of poor air quality and long-term variability over
Kolkata, in Asian Atmospheric Pollution, Elsevier publication.
4. https://www.wbpcb.gov.in/files/Fr-09-2021-09-10-01SoE%20Report%20
VOL%2002.pdf
5. h tt p s : / /w w w. k m c go v. i n / K M C Po r t a l /d o w n l o a d s / B l d g _ c o m m u n i -
que_18_10_12_2021.pdf
6. Centre for Science and Environment 2022, A rapid survey of influence areas
around the metro stations.
7. Website of Kolkata Municipal Corporation
8. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, March 5, 2016,
‘Re-Categorisation of Industries a landmark decision, new category of white
industries will not require environmental clearance’: Javadekar, accessed at
Environment Ministry releases new categorisation of industries (pib.gov.in)
openpdffile.php (cpcb.nic.in)
9. The Gazette of India, June 1, 2020, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises Notification, accessed at Gazette-notification.pdf (dcmsme.gov.in)
10. Anon., February 29, 2016, Final Document on Revised Classification of
Industrial Sectors Under Red, Orange, Green and White Categories, CPCB,
accessed at Latest_118_Final_Directions.pdf (moef.gov.in)
174

175


DRAFT Report On Clean Air Action Plan

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DRAFT OCTOBER 2022

CLEAN AIR ACTION

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 1 25/11/22 5:05 PM

CLEAN AIR ACTION

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 3 25/11/22 5:05 PM

3. SECTOR-WISE ACTION PLAN FOR ABATEMENT OF AIR POLLUTION 11

4. STRENGTHEN INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 5 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Accordingly, the Joint Committee was constituted by the Department of

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Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 7 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 8 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Map 1: Urban local bodies in Kolkata Metropolitan Area

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 9 25/11/22 5:05 PM

2.1. Leveraging Green City Mission

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 10 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Map 2: Distribution of real-time and manual monitors of KMA

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 11 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Table 1 a: Air Quality Monitoring network design criteria

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 12 25/11/22 5:05 PM

2 Bally Municipality 1 0 2,93,373 1 3 4

3 Bansberia Municipality 0 1 1,03,920 1 3 4

4 Baranagar Municipality 0 1 2,45,213 1 3 4

5 Barasat Municipality 0 1 2,78,435 1 3 4

6 Barrackpore Municipality 0 1 1,52,783 1 3 4

7 Baruipur Municipality 0 0 53,128 1 3 4

8 Bhadreswar Municipality 0 0 1,01,477 1 3 4

9 Bhatpara Municipality 0 0 3,83,762 1 3 4

10 Bidhannagar Municipal 1 6 2,15,514 1 3 4

12 Champdany Municipality 0 0 1,11,251 1 3 4

13 Chandernagore Municipal 0 0 1,66,867 1 3 4

15 Dum Dum Municipality 0 0 1,14,786 1 3 4

16 Garulia Municipality 0 0 85,336 1 3 4

17 Gayeshpur Municipality 0 0 58,998 1 3 4

18 Halisahar Municipality 0 0 1,24,939 1 3 4

22 Kamarhati Municipality 0 0 3,30,211 1 3 4

23 Kanchrapara Municipality 0 0 1,20,345 1 3 4

24 Khardah Municipality 0 1 1,08,496 1 3 4

25 Kolkata Municipal 6 13 44,96,694 5 3 8

27 Madhyamgram Municipality 0 1 1,96,127 1 3 4

28 Maheshtala Municipality 0 0 4,48,317 1 3 4

29 Naihati Municipality 0 0 2,17,900 1 3 4

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 13 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Sr. Municipality Current no. of Population Minimum no. of monitoring

34 Pujali Municipality 0 0 37,047 1 3 4

37 Serampore Municipality 0 0 1,81,842 1 3 4

38 South Dum Dum 0 0 4,03,316 1 3 4

40 Uluberia Municipality 0 1 2,22,240 1 3 4

Additionally, Kolkata’s PM10 concentration has seen an overall improvement of

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 14 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Graph 2: Long-term trend in PM2.5 concentration in Howrah (2019-2021)

Graph 3: Long-term trend in PM10 concentration in Kolkata (2019-2021)

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 15 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Graph 4: Long-term trend in PM10 concentration in Howrah (2019-2021)

Graph 5: Trend in summer PM10 concentration in KMA based on manual

Source: West Bengal Pollution Control Board

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 16 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Graph 6: Seasonal trend in PM2.5 levels in KMA (month-wise, 2019–22)

Source: CPCB real-time air quality data (data up to October 6, 2022).

Report on Kolkata Metropolitan Area.indd 17 25/11/22 5:05 PM

Air-quality forecasting systems: As the NCAP programme now requires

Alternative methods for air-quality monitoring: With advancement in

Air-sensor-based monitoring: Air sensors that can be deployed in large