Kolkata to Increase Use of Recycled Plastic in Road Construction.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim has directed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) roads department to accelerate road restoration using recycled plastic to improve driving conditions in the city. The move comes after Hakim himself experienced bumpy rides on several roads, which he said affected his health.

During the ‘Talk to the Mayor’ session on Friday, a resident of Biren Roy Road (West) in Behala complained about a dug-up and uneven road requiring urgent repairs. In response, Hakim urged senior roads department officials to ensure smoother roads across the city.

To facilitate this, the civic body’s solid waste management department has been instructed to ensure a steady supply of plastic granules from the Dhapa recycling plant for road construction. KMC has already tested recycled plastic in small lanes and fringe roads, and after a successful pilot project in Bakshibagan, the initiative is being extended to major and arterial roads.

A KMC official explained that plastic’s water-resistant properties help prevent water seepage, improving road durability. Following the success of the pilot project, KMC has decided to repair stretches of Diamond Harbour Road using the new method.

In the next phase, key roads such as Chittaranjan Avenue, APC Roy Road, Bidhan Sarani, Bowbazar Street, College Street, and Lenin Sarani will be relaid using recycled plastic. Major roads in South Kolkata, including Rashbehari Avenue, Gariahat Road, Gurusaday Dutta Road, and Motilal Gupta Road, have also been included in the restoration plan.

ET