Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Howrah Master Plan Targets Waterlogging, Roads, and Water Supply
A city called Howrah is having some big problems with water and roads.
Whenever it rains, water floods the streets, and sometimes even ambulances cannot get through.
There is also a lot of garbage, and the roads are damaged in many places.
The government wants to make a special plan to fix the roads, drains, and drinking water in Howrah.
A minister named Agnimitra Paul told the Assembly about this new plan.
The Assembly also passed new bills that will create more neighbourhood areas, called wards, in Howrah and Kolkata.
Howrah will go from 50 wards to 68 wards, and Kolkata will go from 144 to 209.
This matters because Howrah has not had its own elected leaders since 2018, and people say services have been poor.
The government hopes the new master plan will make Howrah a cleaner and better place to live.
Urban development minister Agnimitra Paul announced a state government master plan for Howrah covering roads, drainage and drinking water supply.
The plan aims to fix Howrah's recurring waterlogging problem, which Paul said has become so severe that ambulances cannot reach.
The Assembly passed bills raising Howrah Municipal Corporation wards from 50 to 68 and Kolkata Municipal Corporation wards from 144 to 209.
Paul introduced the Howrah Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill, 2026 while announcing the plan in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Howrah has been without an elected civic body since 2018, with residents complaining of poor or absent civic services.
- Who
- Urban development minister Agnimitra Paul and the West Bengal state government, with the Assembly passing the related bills.
- What
- A master plan for Howrah focusing on roads, drainage and drinking water supply, plus bills increasing municipal wards.
- When
- Wednesday, during the state Assembly session, introducing the Howrah Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill, 2026.
- Where
- Howrah, described as Calcutta's twin city, and the West Bengal Assembly.
- Why
- To tackle Howrah's severe waterlogging and deteriorating civic services, which have persisted partly because no plan was drawn up over the past 15 years.
- Master plan focus
- Roads, drainage and drinking water supply
- Main civic problem
- Recurring waterlogging, with ambulances unable to reach in some cases
- Howrah Municipal Corporation wards
- Increased from 50 to 68
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation wards
- Increased from 144 to 209
- Bill introduced
- Howrah Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill, 2026
- Years without elected civic body
- Since 2018
- How bills were passed
- Voice vote in the Assembly
- Next step
- State Election Commission delimitation exercise after governor's assent