Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the local government of the Indian city of Kolkata, the state capital of West Bengal. This civic administrative body administers an area of 206.08 square kilometres (79.57 sq mi).[4] Its motto, Puroshri Bibardhan, is inscribed on its emblem in Bengali script. It is headed by a mayor, who presides over 144 councillors, each of whom represents one of the 144 wards of the city.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | 5 years |
| History | |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Leadership | |
Vacant since 8 June 2026 | |
Vacant since 8 June 2026 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 144 |
Political groups | Dissolved |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 19 December 2021 |
Next election | December 2026 |
| Motto | |
| পুরশ্রী বিবর্ধন Perennial progress of the City's prosperity | |
| Meeting place | |
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| Headquarters of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation | |
| Website | |
www | |
History
editAccording to the official website of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation[5], the origins of Kolkata can be traced to the Mughal period, when the area was mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari as part of an imperial estate. The villages of Sutanuti, Kalikata and Gobindapur, located along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, later formed the nucleus of the modern city. In 1698, the East India Company acquired the zamindari rights of these villages from the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family, paving the way for the establishment of British control and the construction of Fort William.
Kolkata soon emerged as an important administrative and commercial centre under British rule. The first municipal corporation was established in 1726 through a royal charter consisting of a Mayor and Aldermen, marking the beginning of organized civic administration in the city. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Kolkata experienced rapid urban growth, leading to the development of roads, drainage systems, water supply infrastructure, public markets and conservancy services. Institutions such as the Town Improvement Committee and Lottery Committee contributed significantly to civic planning and urban development.
Municipal governance evolved through a series of legislative reforms. The Calcutta Municipal Consolidation Act of 1876 introduced a more representative corporation with elected commissioners, while the Mackenzie Act of 1899 reorganized the municipal structure. A major democratic reform came with the Calcutta Municipal Act of 1923 under the leadership of Sir Surendranath Banerjee, which introduced the annual election of the Mayor and expanded civic participation, including enfranchisement of women. Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das became the first elected Mayor of Kolkata, and Subhas Chandra Bose later served as the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer.
Under the guidance of the first Minister of Local Self-Government in Bengal, Sir Surendranath Banerjee, the Calcutta Municipal Act of 1923 made provision for the enfranchisement of women and the election of a Mayor of Kolkata annually. Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das was the first Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation with Subhas Chandra Bose as his Chief Executive Officer.[5] Deshbandhu famously gave the position of the Chief Executive Officer to Bose over a more experienced Deshapran Birendranath Sasmal.[6] Later mayors include Deshapriya Jatindra Mohan Sengupta, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bidhan Chandra Roy, Nalini Ranjan Sarkar, Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, Triguna Sen, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.[7]
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After independence, the Calcutta Municipal Act of 1951 restructured the civic administration with elected councillors, standing committees and a municipal commissioner. In 1984, the Calcutta Municipal Corporation Act of 1980 introduced the Mayor-in-Council system, creating a stronger and more autonomous framework of urban governance. Over time, neighbouring municipalities such as Jadavpur, South Suburban, Garden Reach and Joka were incorporated into the Corporation, helping shape the present-day administrative structure of Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
Emblem
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According to the official website of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation[8], the first emblem of the Corporation was introduced in 1896. It featured two adjutant birds holding serpents in their beaks while supporting a crown on their shoulders.
On 22 February 1961, the Corporation adopted a new emblem reflecting the ideals and identity of the modern civic body. The emblem bears the inscription “Purosree Bibardhan” in old Bengali script at the top and “Kolkata Paurosangstha” below it in Bengali script.
The lower portion of the emblem contains the figure of a traditional Mayurpankshi boat sailing over wavy lines, symbolizing the historic riverine and maritime trade traditions of Bengal and Kolkata. The emblem also contains four symbolic panels: a lotus representing beauty and culture, a wheel symbolizing industry and progress, a swastika denoting prosperity, and a double thunderbolt representing strength, high ideals and electrical power.
The side panels depict stalks of rice and fish motifs, symbolizing food supply and auspiciousness respectively. At the centre of the emblem is the “Hand of Fire,” representing purity, civic ideals and the removal of disease, filth and negligence.
Structure
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The city is divided into 144 administrative wards[9] that are grouped into 16 boroughs.[10] Each of these wards elects a councillor to the KMC. Each borough has a committee consisting of the councillors elected from the respective wards of the boroughs. The Corporation, through the borough committees, maintains government-aided schools, hospitals and municipal markets and partakes in urban planning and road maintenance.[11] The corporation as the apex body discharges its function through the Mayor-in-Council, consisting of a mayor, assisted by a deputy mayor, and ten other elected members of the KMC. The mayor is responsible for the overall functioning of the KMC and has a tenure of five years.[12] At present, the All India Trinamool Congress holds the power in the KMC.
| Borough | Wards |
|---|---|
| I | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| II | 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 |
| III | 13, 14, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 |
| IV | 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 38, 39 |
| V | 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50 |
| VI | 46, 47, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 60, 61, 62 |
| VII | 56, 57, 58, 59, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 |
| VIII | 68, 69, 70, 72, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 90 |
| IX | 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 82 |
| X | 81, 89, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100 |
| XI | 103, 104, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114 |
| XII | 101, 102, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109 |
| XIII | 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122 |
| XIV | 121, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132 |
| XV | 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141 |
| XVI | 123, 124, 125, 126, 142, 143, 144 |
Current members
editKolkata Municipal Corporation has a total of 144 members or corporators, who are directly elected after a term of 5 years. The council is led by the Mayor. The latest elections were held in 19 December 2021. Firhad Hakim resigned from the post of Kolkata Mayor on 3 June 2026.[2]
Budget
editAs of 2024-25, the city government's budget is ₹5,166.79 crore (US$540 million), out of which ₹320 crore (US$33 million) was earmarked for roads and transport infrastructure, ₹692.14 crore (US$72 million) is to be spent on solid waste management, ₹408 crore (US$43 million) on water supply and ₹163 crore (US$17 million) on health services.[13]
Criticism
editRecently the KMC has faced a lot of criticism for legalising unauthorized construction largely responsible for a number of deaths because of fire. This was also responsible of the unplanned growth in the city.[citation needed]
The Sheriff of Kolkata and The KMDA
editThe city also has an apolitical titular post, that of the Sheriff of Kolkata.[14] The Sheriff presides over various city-related functions and conferences. Another ancillary civic body is the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) responsible for the statutory planning and development of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA).[15] The KMA includes a large suburban hinterland around the urban centre of Kolkata.
Area of jurisdiction
editThe jurisdiction of the KMC covers the area covered by the Kolkata Police (which in turn includes the area of Kolkata District / KMC)
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In 2011, it was announced that Kolkata Police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation area will be coterminous.[16][17]
Kolkata Postal District however extends right up to Barrackpur in the North, Barasat in the North-East, Rajarhat in the East, up to Baruipur in South-East and Pailan in South and up to Pujali in South-West. The Postal code in this entire area starts with 700, indicating Postal Sorting Division of Kolkata. Thus Kolkata Postal Division is much bigger than the area of KMC (Kolkata District) and Kolkata Police.
Services
editThe KMC is responsible for administering and providing basic infrastructure to the city.
- Water purification and supply
- Sewage treatment and disposal
- Garbage disposal and street cleanliness
- Food Inspection:Through KMC Food Inspectors
- Solid waste management
- Building and maintenance of roads, streets and flyovers.
- Street lighting
- Maintenance of parks and open spaces
- Cemeteries and Crematoriums
- Registering of births and deaths
- Conservation of heritage sites
- Disease control, including immunisation
- Public municipal schools etc.
Control Room of Kolkata Municipal Corporation can be contacted at (033) 2286-1212.
Department
edit| Sl.No. | Department[18] |
|---|---|
| 1 | Advertisement |
| 2 | Amusement |
| 3 | Assessment & Collection |
| 4 | Building |
| 5 | Bustee Services |
| 6 | Car Parking |
| 7 | Central Records |
| 8 | Ch. VS Department |
| 9 | Education |
| 10 | Election Office |
| 11 | Electricity |
| 12 | Engineering (Civil) |
| 13 | Entally workshop |
| 14 | Estate |
| 15 | Finance and accounts |
| 16 | Health |
| 17 | Info. & public relations |
| 18 | Information Technology |
| 19 | Institute of Urban Management |
| 20 | Internal Audit |
| 21 | Law |
| 22 | License |
| 23 | Lighting |
| 24 | Market |
| 25 | Municipal Secretary’s department |
| 26 | Municipal Service Commission |
| 27 | Parks & Squares |
| 28 | Personnel |
| 29 | Planning & Development |
| 30 | Printing |
| 31 | Environment & Heritage Department |
| 32 | Roads and Asphaltum |
| 33 | Sewerage & Drainage |
| 34 | Social Welfare & Urban Poverty Alleviation Department |
| 35 | Solid Waste Management |
| 36 | Supply |
| 37 | City Planning Dept |
| 38 | Treasury Department |
| 39 | Vigilance |
| 40 | Water Supply |
Elections
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Notes
edit- ↑ Firhad Hakim resigned from the post of Mayor of Kolkata on 3 June 2026
References
edit- ↑ Chatterjee, Shrabana (3 June 2026). "Firhad Hakim resigns as Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Firhad Hakim resigns as Kolkata Mayor after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's nod". India Today. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Smita Pandey becomes first woman commissioner of Kolkata Municipal Corporation".
- ↑ "kmcgov.in". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- 1 2 "Kolkata – A Municipal History". KMC. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ↑ Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1978). History of Modern Bengal: 1905-1947. G. Bharadwaj. p. 289.
- ↑ "Mayors of Kolkata". KMC. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ↑ "Emblem of Kolkata Municipal Corporation". KMC. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "KMC polls on Dec 19 to be litmus test for TMC, BJP on urban base since assembly elections". The Economic Times. 25 November 2021. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ↑ "Kolkata Statistics". Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
- ↑ "007 Kolkata (India)" (PDF). World Association of the Major Metropolises. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ↑ "About Kolkata Municipal Corporation". Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 May 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2006.
- ↑ "KMC presents deficit budget of Rs 170.66 cr". 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ↑ "New sheriff of Kolkata". The Telegraph. 28 December 2005. Archived from the original on 25 August 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
- ↑ "About Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority". Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
- ↑ "City police chief visits added areas". The Times of India. 13 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ↑ Bandyopadhyay, Krishnendu (30 August 2011). "People will see the change: Kolkata police chief". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ↑ "KMC Departments". Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ↑ "2015 KMC Results". Archive WBSEC. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
External links
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