In a significant step towards sustainable infrastructure development, plastic waste collected from Kurseong town in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district is being recycled to construct a new road in the Mirik Block of north Bengal. The project is the first public road within the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to be built using recycled plastic waste, officials said.
The 4.42-kilometre road will connect the popular Muktikhola waterfall to the village of Noldara, passing through several small hamlets along the way. Authorities said that 1,846.56 kilograms of non-biodegradable plastic waste have already been used in the construction process, generating revenue at the rate of ₹55 per kilogram.
The initiative was made possible with the installation of an agglomerator machine at the plastic waste management unit in Gari Dhura, Kurseong Block, in June this year. The machine processes collected plastic waste into reusable pellets, which are then mixed with construction materials to improve road durability while reducing the environmental burden of plastic disposal.
The project is being implemented under the LIC-HFL Green Tomorrow Solid Waste Management Project by the Kurseong Block Administration in collaboration with state-level NGO Bitan Institute for Training, Awareness and Networking (BITAN). Local governance bodies, including St Mary’s-III and Sukna Gram Panchayat, are also actively involved in the execution of the work.
According to officials, nearly 1.5 kilometres of the total stretch has already been completed. Once finished, the road is expected to significantly improve connectivity for residents of remote villages, making travel easier while supporting tourism in the area.
Beyond infrastructure development, the initiative aims to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution in hill and forest-adjacent regions. By converting non-biodegradable waste into a construction resource, the project also creates livelihood opportunities through waste collection and processing.
Calling the project a sustainable and replicable model, Kurseong Block Development Officer Koushik Chakraborty said the initiative demonstrates how plastic waste management can be integrated with development goals. “The successful utilisation of plastic pellets in road construction shows that waste can be transformed into a valuable resource, benefiting both the environment and local communities,” he said.
Officials said similar projects could be taken up in other blocks of the region if the model proves successful.
