Bengal Plans Road Construction Using Plastic Waste Under State Project

Soumitra Nandi, MP, 22 December 2025, Kolkata: Under the Pathashree–Rastashree project this year, the Panchayats and Rural Development (P&RD) department has received sanction to construct 1,759.619 km of bituminous roads across West Bengal using plastic waste.

North 24-Parganas will account for the highest stretch, with 204.56 km of roads being laid using plastic waste. It is followed by Nadia with 172.46 km, while North Dinajpur ranks third with 167.49 km.

Other districts where more than 100 km of plastic-waste roads will be constructed include Murshidabad (158.34 km), Darjeeling (119.93 km), Jalpaiguri (116.59 km) and East Burdwan (110.48 km).

All districts, except Kolkata—which falls under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation—will have roads built partly using plastic waste.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had launched the fourth phase of the Pathashree–Rastashree project on December 11, 2025, from Krishnanagar in Nadia district.

Under this phase, 20,030 km of roads will be constructed in both rural and urban areas across the state. The project is expected to benefit residents of 35,000 villages and 128 urban local bodies.

The total project cost stands at Rs 8,487.83 crore, which will be borne by the state government.

Plastic waste management has emerged as a major global concern. Being non-biodegradable, plastic gradually breaks down into microplastics, causing long-term environmental damage. Improper disposal leads to visual pollution, clogged drains and the creation of breeding grounds for disease-carrying vectors.

A P&RD department official said the use of plastic waste in roads helps significantly reduce the volume of plastic reaching landfills, rivers and oceans.

“Roads constructed with plastic waste are more durable and resilient to extreme temperatures, waterlogging and heavy traffic. Plastic-modified bitumen prevents cracks and improves overall road quality,” the official said.

The official added that using plastic waste as an additive also helps reduce bitumen costs, particularly in areas with abundant plastic waste.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, encourage local bodies to use non-recyclable plastic waste for road construction in accordance with Indian Road Congress guidelines.