India's Steel Slag Road Tech Sets Guinness Record, Minister Urges Wider Rollout

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, has called for the wider adoption of an indigenous steel slag road technology that can reduce construction costs by around 40 per cent and deliver four times the strength of conventional roads. Speaking at an event to confer a Guinness World Record for the "World's Longest Road Built with Processed Steel Slag Aggregates," he said the technology could also extend maintenance cycles, with major repairs needed only after about 15 years in suitable applications.

The record was awarded for a 1.85-km road at Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, developed jointly by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and Jindal Steel Limited. The event also saw the virtual inauguration of the road, the release of a scientific documentary, the signing of a technology transfer agreement between CSIR-CRRI and Jindal Steel, the launch of the "Steel Grit" brand, and recognition of the project team.

Dr Singh said the initiative aligns with the government's "Waste to Wealth" vision, transforming industrial by-products into infrastructure assets. He emphasised that India's expanding highways, expressways, industrial corridors, ports, and urban infrastructure necessitate conserving natural resources, particularly aggregates obtained through mining and quarrying. The steel slag road technology offers a dual solution: productive use of industrial waste and reduced reliance on natural resources.

The Minister noted the technology's particular relevance for India's geographically diverse terrain, where conventional roads often struggle in high-rainfall regions. Recalling his association with the Northeast, he pointed out that road construction there is often limited to four or five months due to heavy rains, and roads built in one season can deteriorate before the next. Stronger, more durable technologies can address such challenges.

He also highlighted the changing traffic profile of rural roads, which may transition from carrying light vehicles to heavy commercial traffic as surrounding areas industrialise. This underscores the need for road technologies capable of handling higher loads and lasting longer.

Dr Singh urged a concerted awareness drive, stressing that road construction is not confined to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Railways, other government departments, state governments, private builders, contractors, and infrastructure operators are all potential adopters. He called for greater inter-ministerial and inter-state engagement, including dedicated programmes to familiarise engineers and implementing agencies with the technology.

The Minister said the goal is to move "from one project to many projects, from one State to many States," making proven indigenous innovations part of mainstream infrastructure practice. CSIR-CRRI's scientific guidelines, processing protocols, and quality-control framework provide a basis for technically sound adoption, while collaboration among government, research institutions, industry, and developers can accelerate implementation.

He described the initiative as an example of "whole-of-government plus whole-of-nation" collaboration, noting that the technology is indigenous in both conception and application. The next phase, he said, must focus on creating greater awareness and stronger pathways for home-grown technologies to transition from laboratories and demonstration projects to large-scale field implementation.

Dr Singh placed the steel slag road initiative within the broader Waste to Wealth and circular economy vision, citing other CSIR efforts such as biofuels from used cooking oil and value recovery from electronic scrap. He congratulated Dr Satish Pandey and the CSIR-CRRI team for their sustained work, and credited Jindal Steel for providing the scale and platform for real-world demonstration. He expressed hope that more steel companies would collaborate with scientific institutions on similar technology-led solutions.

The technology has already seen several landmark applications. It began with a demonstration at Hazira, Gujarat, where processed steel slag aggregates were used in a six-lane road connecting the industrial area with Hazira Port. It was subsequently deployed on the NH-66 Mumbai-Goa Highway, where approximately 80,000 tonnes of steel slag were converted into processed aggregates for a one-kilometre, four-lane stretch.

Among those present at the event were Shri Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament, Chairman of Jindal Steel, and President of the Indian Steel Association; Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR; Dr V.K. Saraswat, former Member of NITI Aayog and former Director General of DRDO; Dr Ch. Ravi Sekhar, Director, CSIR-CRRI; and representatives of Guinness World Records, along with scientists, engineers, industry leaders, and media personnel.