Nagpur, 21 Dec

(HS):- Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated

India’s first bio-bitumen national highway stretch in Mansar, Ramtek Tehsil in

Nagpur district.

The road was

constructed using lignin-based bitumen by Raj Industries in collaboration with

CSIR-NHAI. The stretch of the road is a significant step toward addressing the

environmental and supply chain posed by traditional bitumen use and production.

The use of

lignin as a binder marks a breakthrough in flexible pavement technology. It

also serves India’s reliance on imports, which currently account for 50

percent of the supply.

Gadkari said, “The

innovation supports global sustainability goals by generating revenue for

bio-refineries, mitigating stubble burning and greenhouse gas emission by at

least 70 percent, compared to fossil-base bitumen. It aligns with India’s

vision for sustainable industrial growth”.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar