Air pollution from open-cast coal mining alters plant physiological processes affecting suitability for biomonitoring and ecological restoration. Comparative information on plant responses across contrasting pollution environments using both Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Anticipated Performance Index (API) is limited. The present study assessed the biochemical response of sixteen plant species from Bansra Open Cast Project (OCP) of the Raniganj Coalfield and Santiniketan, a relatively less polluted area in West Bengal, to identify suitable species for pollution monitoring and plantation. Leaf extract pH, relative water content (RWC), ascorbic acid (AA) and total chlorophyll (TC) were analysed to determine APTI. API was calculated by integrating APTI with biological and socio-economic characteristics. Peroxidase activity (PA) and protein content (PC) were analysed as additional marker of environmental pollution. All species were classified as pollution-sensitive (APTI ≤10). In polluted coalfield, biochemical parameters declined resulting in lower APTI for 13 species. Trees Alstonia scholaris and Butea monosperma and shrubs Calotropis procera and Anisomeles indica got the highest APTI in Santiniketan and Bansra, respectively. Trees Alstonia scholaris and Bauhinia acuminata achieved excellent API at both locations, while Butea monosperma and Senna siamea performed well at Santiniketan. Among shrubs, Calotropis procera and Ricinus communis consistently exhibited excellent API, whereas Chromolaena odorata and Ziziphus mauritiana performed better under mining conditions. Integrating APTI with API improved the assessment of plant suitability beyond biochemical tolerance alone. These identified species provide scientific basis for air pollution biomonitoring and highly recommended for green-belt development and ecological restoration in degraded mining-affected areas.