Kolkata’s civic administration has mapped out a citywide road infrastructure upgrade covering 77 stretches in its 2026–27 spending plan, signalling a renewed push to improve mobility, safety and long-term asset durability. The programme spans resurfacing, plastic-modified asphalt laying, interlocking block pavements and selective widening, a mix that could reshape daily commuting conditions across several high-traffic corridors.
Of the identified corridors, more than 20 are slated for resurfacing to address uneven carriageways that slow traffic and increase vehicular wear and tear. Municipal engineers indicate that these stretches were prioritised based on ride quality assessments, traffic density and citizen complaints. For a city where surface degradation accelerates during monsoon cycles, smoother pavements are not just cosmetic they reduce fuel consumption, lower emissions from idling vehicles and improve public transport reliability. A parallel component of the road infrastructure upgrade involves the expanded use of hot bituminous mixes blended with processed waste plastic. Civic officials confirm that two municipal plants are producing plastic-modified asphalt, drawing raw material from the city’s primary landfill. Between April and November last year, over 150,000 metric tonnes of hot mix were manufactured. Urban sustainability experts note that this approach addresses two chronic challenges simultaneously: solid waste management and premature road failure. Plastic-enhanced bitumen is known to improve resistance to water ingress and rutting, potentially extending pavement life in flood-prone zones.
Another set of corridors will see interlocking concrete block pavements, particularly in neighbourhood streets vulnerable to repeated utility cuts. Such modular systems allow easier maintenance and reinstatement after underground works, reducing lifecycle disruption an important consideration as Kolkata continues to expand underground drainage and utility networks. Twelve roads have also been marked for development and widening to ease bottlenecks and increase carriageway capacity. Transport planners say these interventions must be carefully calibrated to avoid encouraging private vehicle growth at the expense of public transport and non-motorised mobility. The city has simultaneously reported the installation of pedestrian refuge islands at dozens of junctions and ongoing safety audits on key arterial routes, reflecting an attempt to balance speed with safety.
Round-the-clock mobile pothole repair units are being deployed as part of maintenance reforms. While reactive maintenance cannot substitute structural upgrades, civic officials argue that faster response times reduce accident risk and public dissatisfaction. For the real estate sector, improved road quality often translates into higher land value and more predictable construction logistics. However, infrastructure economists caution that durability, climate resilience and inclusive street design including safe crossings and barrier protection will determine whether the road infrastructure upgrade delivers lasting gains. As Kolkata invests in its surface transport backbone, the longer-term test will lie in integrating these works with flood mitigation, public transport expansion and low-carbon mobility planning. Roads built today will shape not only traffic flow, but the environmental and economic trajectory of the city for decades.
