India’s First Bio-Bitumen Stretch Inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated India’s first bio-bitumen-based National Highway stretch on NH-44 in Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra. This stretch is a milestone in India’s road development sector, being the first to employ lignin-based bio-bitumen technology. The technology, developed by Praj Industries, in collaboration with CSIR – Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and Oriental, represents a significant step forward in India’s sustainability and self-reliance goals.

Key Points From Inauguration of Event

Bio-Bitumen Technology

• The stretch on NH-44 is developed using lignin-based bio-bitumen technology, which is a breakthrough in flexible pavement construction.
• Praj Industries and CSIR-CRRI collaborated on this innovation, marking a significant leap in road construction technology.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact

• Lignin, a by-product of plant biomass, is used as a sustainable binder for road construction.
• This innovation can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% when compared to fossil-based bitumen.
• By utilizing lignocellulosic biomass, the technology addresses issues such as bitumen scarcity and import dependency (currently, India imports 50% of its bitumen).
• The development generates additional revenue for bio-refineries and mitigates the environmental problem of stubble burning.

Economic and Agricultural Benefits

• The use of agricultural waste like rice straw (parali) in producing bio-bitumen can help alleviate the pollution caused by stubble burning, especially in Punjab and Haryana.
• In turn, this creates value for farmers, turning them into ‘bitumendata’ (producers of bio-bitumen) in addition to their traditional role as ‘annadata’ (food producers) and ‘urjadata’ (energy producers).

Vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat

• Nitin Gadkari emphasized that this initiative fits with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
• The technology will support large-scale domestic production of bio-bitumen, promoting industrial sustainability and reducing India’s dependence on imports.

CNG From Biomass Products

• Gadkari mentioned that there are currently 400 projects in the country aiming to produce CNG from biomass, which is cheaper and cleaner than petrol.
• 60 lakh tonnes of parali have already been used in these projects, helping reduce pollution and benefiting farmers.

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	India’s First Bio-Bitumen Stretch Inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari
Location	Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on NH-44
Key Technology	Lignin-based bio-bitumen developed by Praj Industries in collaboration with CSIR-CRRI.
Environmental Benefits	Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 70% compared to fossil-based bitumen.
Economic Impact	Reduces India’s import dependency on bitumen (currently 50%).
Agricultural Impact	Helps reduce stubble burning and provides additional revenue for farmers.
Sustainability Goals	Aligns with India’s vision for sustainable industrial growth and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
CNG from Biomass Projects	400 projects in process, 60 lakh tonnes of parali used in CNG production, reducing pollution.
Social Impact	Farmers will benefit from the use of agricultural waste in bio-bitumen production.