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Lecture Series : 3.0 :1st Lecture on the subject “Sustainable Materials & Circular Economy in Road Construction”
December 16, 2025 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
As part of the Road Safety Lecture Series supported by Maruti Suzuki, IRF-IC hosted its new Series 3.0 on the theme of “Vision Zero India: Integrating Safety, Sustainability and Technology in Infra” which commenced with a Lecture on the topic of “Sustainable Materials & Circular Economy in Road Construction”. Mr. K. K. Kapila, President (Emeritus), IRF and Founder President, IRF-IC was the Moderator at the event. Dr. Ambika Behl, Sr. Principal Scientist, CSIR-CRRI, New Delhi, Dr. Satish Pandey, Sr. Principal Scientist & Head, CSIR-CRRI, New Delhi and Mr. Dhruv Rathi, Director, Shri Rathi Steel Group were the Guest Speakers.
Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, President, IRF – IC, delivered the welcome address and provided a brief overview of the objectives and initiatives of the International Road Federation – India Chapter’s Lecture Series.
Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Director, CSIR-Central Road Research Institute was the Guest of Honour at the event. He mentioned that to address waste management challenges involving plastic, steel slag, red mud, construction and demolition debris, municipal solid waste, CRRI how developed innovative materials and technologies for road construction, including steel slag technology that used processed steel industry waste as a substitute for natural aggregates. India’s first National Highway steel slag road section was constructed on NH-66 (Mumbai–Goa National Highway), resulting in a stronger, more eco-friendly pavement that was 30% shallower than conventional roads,”.
Dr. Satish Pandey stated that innovative products included plastic-modified bitumen and geocells developed from end-of-life plastic in collaboration with entities such as BPCL. He noted that “Bio-bitumen” was produced through the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass, offering durable and cost-effective alternative to conventional bitumen suitable for varied climatic conditions. He also highlighted Ecofix, a ready-to-use pothole repair mix, as an instant solution for distressed roads during monsoon. This had been used by the Delhi government and being explored by few other States.
Dr. Ambika Behl said that road construction was one of the biggest environmental polluters in the country, contributing to 37% of emissions. She pointed out that Roads and Highways being built with an expected lifespan of 25–30 years, including the Delhi–Mumbai Highway, were getting damaged within two years. She emphasized the need for sustainable road infrastructure.
Mr. K. K. Kapila mentioned that despite major advances in the road infratech sector, the country still stood at the crossroads of safety, sustainability and innovation. We must reaffirm our commitment to building safe, efficient and sustainable roads, with the Road to Vision Zero aiming for both Carbon Zero and Fatality Zero.
Mr. Dhruv Rathi discussed about GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer), highlighted its sustainability and performance advantages.
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