India : Kolkata Urban Resilience Improvement (Sector) Project

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban flood protection - Urban sewerage - Urban solid waste management - Urban water supply

The project will be aligned with the following impact: integrated urban renewal of Kolkata city achieved. The expected outcome of the project is access to resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban services increased. The outcome will be achieved through two outputs.

Output 1: Urban infrastructure and systems strengthened. The project will support the development of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI)-responsive, climate- and disaster-resilient sanitation, drainage, water supply and SWM infrastructure and systems. For sanitation and drainage, the project will cover unserviced areas of Kolkata, and will include construction of sewerage and drainage networks, sewage treatment plants and pumping stations, as well as GESI-responsive community toilets in slums. Consideration will be given to nature-based treatment systems such as constructed wetlands. For water supply, new transmission pipelines and a booster pumping station are expected to be constructed, improving the efficiency of water supply to selected boroughs. For municipal SWM, structural interventions will be determined through due diligence and may include construction of biomethanation facilities. Strengthened urban infrastructure and systems will provide better services to all people, while women, children, the poor, and the disadvantaged will especially benefit from improved urban sanitation, health, and hygiene.

Output 2: Enabling environment for sustainable and resilient urban services strengthened. This will build upon efforts delivered under KEIIP to enhance KMC's operational capacity and resilience of urban services. Specific initiatives may include (i) building KMC's capacity for GESI-responsive multi-hazard risk management planning for new and existing urban assets; (ii) measures to strengthen the financial sustainability of urban services; (iii) behavior change to encourage good practices surrounding sanitation, SWM, and payment for urban services; (iv) inclusion of climate resilience planning for KMC and in the Kolkata Urban Sector Investment Plan; (v) digitization to strengthen resilience of urban services, including strengthening of the existing flood forecasting and early warning system; (vi) provision of training and incubation support to women SHGs based on training needs assessment to become waste entrepreneurs; (vii) training and skill building given to informal waste pickers in partnership with National Skills Development Corporation skill councils; and (viii) awareness generation amongst school students on flood hazards, preparedness, emergency evacuation procedures and reduce, reuse, recycle principles.

The project is estimated to cost $285.0 million, including a $200.0 million loan from ADB. The government will contribute $85.0 million to the project. The sector loan modality is deemed appropriate because (i) there is a large number of subprojects as well as a large financing gap to address the sector needs; (ii) the government has a sector policy to meet the priority development needs of the sector, and the institutional capacity to implement the policy; and (iii) the policies applicable to the sector are appropriate and will be improved, if warranted.

Urban context and vulnerability. Kolkata'the capital of the state of West Bengal has an estimated population of 5.2 million living within its official boundaries and is organized into 16 boroughs and 144 wards across 205 square kilometers. The city and its surrounding suburbs, known as the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, have an area of 1,027.0 square kilometers and a population of 14.7 million, making it the third most populous metropolitan area in India. The city is growing, with built-up areas increasing at a rate of about 0.3% per year, mainly in the peripheral ring of the city. It is estimated that one-third of Kolkata city's population lives in low-income and slum-like conditions. Kolkata is one of the eight megacities most vulnerable to disaster-related mortality. Among the world's largest coastal cities, it is at risk of flooding, drought, cyclones, and subsidence due to sea level rise. Flat deltaic terrain, insufficient natural drainage, and tidal blockage of channels amplify flooding and water logging in the city.

Access to urban services. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is mandated to provide water supply, sanitation, drainage, and solid waste management (SWM) services within Kolkata's official boundaries. In central boroughs (I-X), water supply coverage is 100% while sewerage coverage is 73%. In the periphery (boroughs XI-XVI), water supply coverage is 56% and only 19% for sewerage. Drainage presents significant challenges in informal settlements and low-income areas, where floodwaters can linger for up to 2 days. Even common downpours are known to back up traffic in Kolkata for 5-6 hours, or days in the low-lying or waterside slums. Women are particularly vulnerable to waterborne diseases brought about by poor sanitation. Unless addressed rapidly, these disparities will widen as the population grows in the periphery.

Solid waste management. While KMC operates a primary collection system covering households, commercial areas, and markets on a daily basis, there are no waste prevention programs at the city level, and only seven wards out of 144 are covered by a formal source segregation scheme. Most recycling is unregulated, and there is a lack of required infrastructure for the treatment of solid waste. The 50-hectare Dhapa disposal site, which is part of the East Kolkata Wetlands, will reach its full capacity in the next 2 years. Poor SWM and indiscriminate dumping cause public health risks, increased flood risk, and may also damage or impact the functionality of critical infrastructure and services.

Integrated urban renewal of Kolkata city achieved (Sewerage and Drainage Master Plan for Kolkata City

Access to resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban services increased.

Urban infrastructure and systems strengthened

Enabling environment for sustainable and resilient urban services strengthened