KMC plans eco-friendly stray dog shelter home near Dhapa
Times of India | 21 November 2025
Kolkata: A Kolkata Municipal Corporation delegation on Thursday visited Dhapa Square Miles, an area located close to the Dhapa dumping ground, with the intention of setting up a shelter home for the city's stray dogs. At a preliminary stage, the civic body planned to take 1 acre of land and set up an ‘open to air' dog shelter home where not fewer than 4,000 stray dogs can be accommodated.
Setting up an eco-friendly dog shelter home is part of the relocation of the existing Dhapa dog pound to a spacious area close to the Dhapa dumping ground. The exercise aims at relocating stray dogs from public places following a Supreme Court order. Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who oversees the KMC health department, led a delegation to Dhapa and inspected two sites—one close to the Dhapa dumping ground and the other in a place located off Basanti Highway.
According to a section of the KMC health department officials, the space near the Dhapa dumping ground is more suitable for such a dog shelter home. However, some civic officials felt the KMC would need to exercise extreme caution in building the dog shelter house on the East Kolkata Wetland (EKW) site. "No permanent constructions are allowed in the EKW site. So, we should plan the dog shelter house meticulously," said a KMC official.
"Currently, the Dhapa dog pound can accommodate around 250 stray dogs. We are planning to set up a new shelter that will accommodate no fewer than 4,000 dogs," said a KMC health department official. However, he made it clear that the new shelter will be carefully designed as the place falls under the wetland. "We won't allow permanent constructions, like at the existing pound," said the civic official.