Phosphor-Gypsum is a by-product of fertiliser production and the initiative is to encourage the use of waste material to build ecologically sustainable national highway infrastructure.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 23, 2023 04:33 IST
NHAI to take up field trials on its projects for the use of Phosphor-Gypsum in national highway construction (File Photo)
By Akshay Dongare: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) along with the Department of Fertilizers, and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, on Wednesday, announced to take up field trials on NHAI projects for the use of Phosphor-Gypsum in national highway construction to achieve a circular economy in the use of Gypsum.
Phosphor-Gypsum is a by-product of fertiliser production and the initiative is to encourage the use of waste material to build ecologically sustainable national highway infrastructure.
An Indian fertiliser company has constructed a road using Phosphor-Gypsum. The road was evaluated by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and based on their report, the Indian Road Congress (IRC) has accredited neutralised Phosphor-Gypsum waste material for road construction for a period of three years.
The fertiliser company and the CRRI have been asked to take up field trials on an NHAI project to evaluate the performance of Phosphor-Gypsum on a National Highway and to generate confidence among various stakeholders on the use of Phosphor-Gypsum waste material in Highway construction.
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The NHAI is also encouraging the use of waste plastic in road construction, which has already been tested very successfully.
Studies have established that roads built using plastic waste are durable, sustainable and increase life of the bitumen. The construction of one kilometre of a 4-lane highway helps in the disposal of approximately seven tons of plastic waste.
Similarly, NHAI has used ‘Fly Ash’ – a fine residue of coal combustion in the Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) for the construction of Highways and flyover embankments. The 135 km long, six-lane ‘Eastern Peripheral Expressway’, used 1.2 crore cubic meters of fly ash in its construction.
NHAI has been encouraging the innovative use of new materials and is focused on reducing the carbon footprint, enhancing durability and making construction more economical.
