Policymakers, planners and developers discussed how greener buildings, better water management and climate-ready infrastructure can improve everyday urban life.
KOLKATA (India CSR): As West Bengal’s cities expand, residents are increasingly dealing with familiar challenges: waterlogging after heavy rainfall, rising summer temperatures, pressure on water resources, traffic-linked pollution and shrinking green spaces. These everyday concerns were at the centre of discussions at the CII IGBC Green Bengal Summit 2026 in Kolkata, where government representatives, urban planners, architects, developers and sustainability experts examined ways to make cities safer, healthier and more resilient.
The conversation focused on practical measures such as energy-efficient buildings, rainwater management, green retrofits, cleaner construction materials, protection of wetlands and stronger urban infrastructure. The key question was simple: how can Bengal’s growth create better living conditions for people today while preparing cities for the climate risks of tomorrow?
The summit, anchored around the overarching theme #REGEN360 – Future Proofing Bengal’s Built Landscapes, focused on integrated climate-resilient growth, urban regeneration and Net Zero carbon pathways. The deliberations highlighted the importance of aligning urbanisation, infrastructure development, housing, industrial growth and environmental sustainability to build a resilient and future-ready Bengal.
The inaugural session was attended by Smt. Agnimitra Paul, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal; Vibhu Goel, IAS, Managing Director, WBHIDCO Limited; Mr. Debashis Dutta, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Committee on Logistics & Infrastructure and Immediate Past Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council; Dr. Shivraj Dhaka, Principal Counsellor, CII Indian Green Building Council; Apurva Salarpuria, President, CREDAI Kolkata and Deputy Managing Director, Salarpuria Group; Sushil Mohta, Immediate Past Chairman, IGBC Kolkata, President, CREDAI Bengal and Chairman, Merlin Group; C Shekar Reddy, National Chairman, CII Indian Green Building Council; Ar. Vivek Singh Rathore, Chairman, IGBC Kolkata Chapter and Founder & Principal, The Salient; and Ravi Dugar, Co-Chairman, IGBC Kolkata and Director, PS Group.
Addressing the summit, Smt. Agnimitra Paul, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal, emphasized the need to integrate environmental responsibility into Bengal’s urban development agenda. She highlighted that rapid urbanisation, changing rainfall patterns, urban flooding, heatwaves and deteriorating air quality called for a more foresighted and climate-responsive approach to city planning. She said, “Economic development and ecological responsibility must move hand in hand. Future-proofing Bengal requires us to ensure that every building, road and township planned today is equipped to withstand the environmental realities of tomorrow. Our focus is on taking the green city blueprint beyond Kolkata to emerging urban centres such as Durgapur, Asansol, Howrah and Siliguri. We must also strengthen municipal waste management, promote circular construction practices, conserve urban wetlands and water bodies, and accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient and Net Zero buildings. The government alone cannot achieve this transformation. Industry, institutions, developers and citizens must become active partners in building a greener and more resilient Bengal.”
Future-proofing Bengal requires us to ensure that every building, road and township planned today is equipped to withstand the environmental realities of tomorrow. – Smt. Agnimitra Paul, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal
Vibhu Goel, IAS, Managing Director, WBHIDCO Limited, highlighted the importance of integrating climate resilience into urban planning and development, drawing attention to New Town, Kolkata, as an example of an evolving urban ecosystem. He said, “Futureproofing is no longer an additional feature of urban development; it is an essential economic and environmental prerequisite. At WBHIDCO, we recognised the importance of moving beyond conventional urban planning towards integrated resilience, urban regeneration and Net Zero pathways. Our approach included adopting Sponge City principles for stormwater management, strengthening green infrastructure, promoting passive cooling and encouraging the retrofitting of existing buildings. We also emphasized the need to address embodied carbon in construction materials and accelerate renewable energy integration. Building a future-ready Bengal required a strong partnership between the government, IGBC, architects, engineers, developers and financial institutions.”
C Shekar Reddy, National Chairman, CII Indian Green Building Council, outlined the opportunities for accelerating green building adoption in the state through policy support, incentives, industry participation and wider adoption of sustainable construction practices. He said, “West Bengal has demonstrated the potential of green development through initiatives such as New Town, Kolkata. The next step is to expand this approach from individual buildings and townships to larger neighbourhood ecosystems, while taking the green building movement to Tier-II and Tier-III cities. There is considerable scope to accelerate the adoption of green building ratings through appropriate incentives, particularly for the manufacturing sector, MSMEs and affordable housing. Retrofitting existing buildings, promoting Net Zero developments, embracing emerging technologies and encouraging young innovators will be critical to this transition. We believe that every stakeholder participating in this movement can contribute towards developing at least one Net Zero or green retrofit project over the next 12 months. Together, we can position West Bengal as a leading example of sustainable development.”
The summit also featured a special address by Tapas Roy, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Department of Industry, Commerce & Enterprises; Department of Public Enterprises & Industrial Reconstruction; and Department of Non-Conventional & Renewable Energy Sources, Government of West Bengal, who highlighted the importance of balancing industrial development with environmental responsibility. He said, “As West Bengal continued to strengthen its position as a preferred destination for industries, investments and economic opportunities, sustainable and inclusive growth remained equally important. Industrial development and environmental responsibility must go hand in hand. Sustainability should not be viewed merely as a regulatory obligation but as an opportunity for innovation, efficiency, competitiveness and long-term value creation. Initiatives such as ‘My City, I Care’ demonstrated how industry bodies, institutions, communities and individual citizens could come together to create meaningful change. The participation of young innovators and businesses will be particularly important in translating sustainability ambitions into action and building cities that offer a better quality of life for future generations.”
The inaugural session also featured a welcome address by Ar. Vivek Singh Rathore, a presentation by Dr. Shivraj Dhaka on emerging opportunities and trends in green building, and addresses by Apurva Salarpuria, Sushil Mohta and Mr. Debashis Dutta on the role of the real estate sector, green-to-Net Positive development, resilience and industrial sustainability. Ravi Dugar delivered the closing remarks.
The summit featured a series of technical sessions and deliberations covering sustainable cities and resilient urban growth, transformation of existing buildings through green retrofits, sustainable building materials, energy and water efficiency, and India’s Net Zero mission. A special plenary explored the challenges and opportunities for advancing Net Zero development in Bengal.
A dedicated session on “My City, I Care – Innovator’s Showcase” brought grassroots innovations and practical solutions from the Green Bengal Innovation Challenge to the forefront. Ten shortlisted ideas were presented, with the top five ideas showcased and winners recognised in the presence of industry and government representatives. Shri Tapas Roy addressed the gathering as the Guest of Honour during this session.
Through the Green Bengal Summit 2026, CII IGBC reinforced the importance of a collaborative approach involving government, industry, developers, technology providers and citizens to accelerate sustainable development. The summit provided a platform for exchanging ideas, showcasing innovations and identifying pathways to transform Bengal’s built environment into a more sustainable, resource-efficient, climate-resilient and Net Zero ecosystem.
