India's first bio-bitumen-based National Highway stretch was inaugurated on NH-44 in Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on Saturday by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Authorities have implemented lignin-based bio-bitumen technology to develop the stretch, provided by Praj Industries, in collaboration with CSIR - Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and Oriental.
Objectives
It is a significant breakthrough for India to have used lignin as a sustainable binder in flexible pavement technology.
This addresses the challenge of bitumen scarcity, while also mitigating the dependency of India on imports, amounting to 50 per cent of the total supply at the moment.
Revenue Generation for Bio-Refineries
This innovation contributes to global sustainability goals by generating revenue for bio-refineries, mitigating stubble burning, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70 per cent compared to fossil-based bitumen.