BRO to build steel slag pilot road project in Arunachal

The Border Road Organisation (BRO) has planned to construct a pilot road stretch in Arunachal Pradesh using steel slag, which can withstand heavy rains and adverse climatic conditions. Creating durable roads along strategic areas could become easier if this is found to be successful. While the endeavour would be the first for the BRO, a six-lane highway made by using 100 percent processed steel slag, to connect the port with the city, was inaugurated in Surat, Gujarat recently. According to principal scientist, CRRI, Satish Pandey, in comparison to normal highways, the ones made out of steel slag are 30 per cent less thick because of better material characteristics. The construction cost of the processed steel slag road is also 30 per cent cheaper than roads built from natural aggregates. Slag is a by-product of steel manufacturing and NHAI will also use the steel slag for construction of a portion on Mumbai-Goa highway and the Indian Railways has also sanctioned a major research and development (R&D) project to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) to explore the utilisation of steel slag aggregate as railway ballast for track construction and maintenance. The Surat airport is also going to strengthen its airstrip using steel slag as per the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommendations and civil aviation requirements (CAR).