The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on Wednesday said that field trials on NHAI projects for use of Phosphor-Gypsum in National Highway construction to achieve a circular economy in the use of Gypsum will be taken up. 

Phosphor-Gypsum is a by-product of fertilizer production. “An Indian fertilizer company constructed a road using them. It was evaluated by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and based on the report, the Indian Road Congress (IRC) has accredited neutralized Phosphor-Gypsum waste material for road construction for a period of three years," Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways said in a statement. 

The ministry asked the fertilizer company and CRRI 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 to use Phosphor-Gypsum waste material in Highway construction. 

Furthermore, NHAI is also encouraging the use of waste plastic in road construction, which is tested very successfully. Studies established that roads built using plastic waste are durable, sustainable and increase the 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. 

“NHAI has also 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," the ministry added.

The association is encouraging the innovative use of new materials and is focused on reducing the carbon footprint, enhancing durability and making construction more economical.

Image courtesy: PTI