India’s First Steel Slag Road

Why in news?

• Surat in Gujarat has become the first city in the country to get a processed steel slag (industrial waste) road.

More about the news:

• Built by: It is a joint-venture project by CSIR, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), Union Ministry of Steel, NITI Ayog and Nippon Steel.
• Process: The road was constructed by converting mounds of steel waste into steel slag aggregate.
• This project falls under the initiative of the Waste to Wealth and Clean India Campaign.

Benefits of Steel Slag Road:

• Less Thickness:
  • Thickness is 30% less compared to conventional roads made of asphalt, soil, bitumen, and natural aggregates.
• Cheaper:
  • The construction cost of the processed steel slag road is 30% cheaper than roads built from natural aggregates.
• Longer Durability:
  • The durability is much longer due to the utilization of steel slag.
• Sustainable use of Waste:
  • Using processed steel slag in road construction also paves the way for sustainable use of waste and reduces the reliance on perishable natural aggregates.
• Reduce GHG Emissions:
  • It is also expected to reduce GHG emissions and carbon footprint in road construction activity.
  • Further, it is in line with India’s commitment to the UN SDG-9 for building resilient infrastructure through inclusive and sustainable industrialization and green technology.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

In road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint ?

1. Steel slag

2. Cold mix asphalt technology

3. Geotextiles

4. Hot mix asphalt technology 

5. Portland cement

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 4 and 5 only

(d) 1 and 5 only

Answer