India’s vision of transforming waste into wealth takes a significant stride forward as the Steel Slag Road technology, developed by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) in collaboration with major steel manufacturing companies, proves to be a game-changer. Union Minister of State for Steel, Faggan Singh Kulaste, lauds the innovative approach for its role in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious ‘Waste to Wealth’ mission.
India, being the second-largest steel-producing country in the world, generates around 19 million tonnes of steel slag as solid waste annually, with predictions indicating an increase to 60 million tonnes by 2030. This excess of steel slag has been a growing concern, leading to massive piles around steel plants and posing environmental challenges due to water, air, and land pollution.
Addressing industry stakeholders during the ‘One Week One Lab’ program organized by CSIR-CRRI, Minister Kulaste emphasized the significance of the Steel Slag Road technology. This novel approach not only offers an efficient disposal method for steel slag but also opens up avenues for converting waste into a valuable resource.
The breakthrough project witnessed its initial success in Surat, Gujarat, where the first road constructed using the Steel Slag Road technology garnered accolades for its technological excellence both at the national and international levels. With technical guidance from CRRI, approximately one lakh tonnes of steel slag aggregate were utilized in constructing this eco-friendly road at the Hazira plant of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel. Remarkably, no natural ballast was used in the process.
Beyond Gujarat, the Border Roads Organization, in collaboration with CRRI and Tata Steel, constructed a steel slag road in Arunachal Pradesh, situated along the India-China border. This road’s life expectancy surpasses that of conventional roads, showcasing the longevity and reliability of the innovative technology.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has also successfully embraced this eco-conscious approach for road construction on National Highway-66 (Mumbai-Goa) in partnership with JSW Steel. The seamless integration of the Steel Slag Road technology has impressed commuters and officials alike, leading to broader adoption.
Dr Manoranjan Parida, Director of CRRI, and Dr Satish Pandey, Principal Scientist and Head of Steel Slag Road Project, have been commended for their remarkable contribution to developing this sustainable technology. Union Minister Kulaste expressed his appreciation and encouraged the institute to pursue nationwide road construction using this eco-friendly method.
The Steel Slag Road technology, a result of extensive research by CSIR-CRRI in collaboration with the Ministry of Steel and major steel manufacturers, including ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, JSW Steel, Tata Steel, and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, offers a large-scale solution for waste steel slag utilization. Successfully tested in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Arunachal Pradesh, this revolutionary technique is set to transform road construction practices across India.
