Adoption of eco-friendly green & sustainable materials and cutting edge construction practices & technology for road construction is a continuous process. Based on international best practices and outcome of indigenous research, new standards/guidelines are framed by Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and existing standards/guidelines of IRC are amended from time to time to facilitate use of such materials and technology. MoRTH/NHAI have also issued policy guidelines on use of such eco-friendly materials/processes. New/innovative materials/processes are also accredited by IRC for use in trial sections. All such materials and processes as allowed by IRC standards/guidelines, International Standards such as American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM), Euro Codes, British Codes as well as materials accredited by IRC are allowed in National Highways Projects. NH Projects are generally implemented on EPC/HAM/BOT mode where contractor/concessionaire carry out their own design in accordance with applicable manual, standards/guidelines/codes, etc. and then these are reviewed/ approved by AE/IE before its actual use in a NH project.

NH projects in Bihar are implemented by Ministry's executing agencies such as NHAI, State RCD as well as Ministry's own PIUs and they ensure that Ministry's guidelines are followed.

Various kinds of eco-friendly green and sustainable materials such as fly ash, slag, construction & demolition waste, waste plastic, crumb rubber modified bitumen, geosynthetics including jute & coir, ground granulated blast furnace slag, etc. are used in different NH projects depending upon availability and feasibility of use.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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MJPS/GS