Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has introduced an Environment and Heritage module under its upgraded eKMC 2.0 digital governance platform, aimed at improving the management of heritage properties and water bodies across the city.
The initiative, implemented by the Information Technology Department, brings key functions of the Environment and Heritage Department onto a single digital system. The primary responsibility of the department is the conservation and preservation of heritage buildings, statues, structures, monuments, parks, squares and water bodies within the municipal area.
Under the new module, records relating to heritage premises and ponds will be maintained in a centralised database. Processes related to observations, no-objection certificates and departmental clearances have been digitised, allowing applications to be registered online, documents to be uploaded and approvals to be processed simultaneously at different levels. The system also covers pond and water body management, including new entries, relocation, delisting and area correction.
Site inspection reports, committee recommendations and final resolutions are built into the workflow. Heritage building management has similarly been structured to include new listings, grade changes, delisting, demolition proposals, restoration work and development plans, supported by inspection reports and approvals by the competent authorities. The module provides for digital issuance and tracking of notices related to ponds and enables recording and monitoring of FIR-related actions in cases of violations. It also generates management reports on pending clearances and departmental activities.
Information on heritage buildings and water bodies will be accessible to the public through the KMC portal. Internally, the system is integrated with other municipal platforms such as property tax, building and survey records to allow data sharing across departments. According to KMC, the rollout is expected to improve coordination among officials, reduce processing time and ensure greater transparency in handling matters related to heritage and environmental assets, while the existing e-file system will continue alongside the new platform.