India’s First National Highway Steel Slag Road Section Inaugurated

Delhi: Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member (S&T), NITI AAYOG, inaugurated India’s pioneering National Highway Steel Slag Road section on NH-66, Mumbai-Goa National Highway. The innovative Steel Slag Road Technology, developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), is repurposing steel industry waste into a valuable resource. This initiative aids the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in constructing robust and eco-friendly national highways.

JSW Steel, under the guidance of CSIR-CRRI, completed the 1 km long, four-lane steel slag road section on the Indapur-Panvel segment of NH-66. Approximately 80,000 tons of CONARC steel slag from JSW Steel Dolvi, Raigad plant were processed into steel slag aggregates for road construction. These processed steel slag aggregates outperform natural aggregates in various mechanical properties and were used in all layers of the road.

The road features bituminous and cement concrete steel slag sections on both sides, demonstrating the versatility of the technology. Processed steel slag aggregates and slag cement were utilized in constructing the cement concrete road layers. Shri G S Rathore, COO, JSW Steel Ltd, commended CSIR-CRRI and NHAI for their contributions to the project’s success.

Dr. Manoranjan Parida, Director, CSIR-CRRI, highlighted ongoing efforts to develop national guidelines for processed steel slag utilization in road construction. NHAI officials praised the steel slag road section for its technological innovation and outstanding performance. Shri Satish Pandey, Principal Scientist CSIR-CRRI, revealed that the bituminous steel slag road is 28% thinner than conventional counterparts, while both road sections are approximately 32% more cost-effective and exhibit superior durability.