India Launches First Bio-Bitumen Highway In Asia
The first project in Asia to use bio-bitumen blended with a surface made from crop stubble started up an innovative 1km stretch of highway on the Jabalpur-Nagpur route. This marks the beginning of a project aimed at addressing pollution from stubble burning.
Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, who described this initiative as his “dream project,” is optimistic that, if successful, the technology will “reduce air pollution dramatically.” He highlighted that stubble in Punjab and Haryana is already being sold at “Rs 2,500 per tonne,” making the shift toward bio-bitumen financially viable.
As the bio-bitumen is sourced from easily available crop stubble, farmers can sell it instead of burning the residue, which is a common practice. By replacing conventional bitumen with up to 15% bio-bitumen, road construction costs are expected to drop. Additionally, the shift could potentially lower the import of petroleum-based bitumen by “Rs 4,500 crore initially.” Furthermore, the bio-bitumen mix contains “10% rubber powder,” further decreasing reliance on petroleum-based materials.
While the project is promising, its full success won’t be confirmed for another two years. The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a government body, will monitor the road’s performance under heavy traffic and varying weather conditions. A CRRI scientist explained that bio-bitumen would pass the test if the road “does not deflect beyond 0.4mm.” After conducting its research, CRRI will submit a report, which will lead to bitumen manufacturers being asked to “frame a policy to purchase lignin for blending.” Gadkari also noted that the bio-bitumen currently being used is a “40-grade” version, which is stronger than conventional bitumen, and emphasized that this initiative aligns with his goal of “sourcing raw material for bitumen from farmers.”
The bio-bitumen technology was developed by Praj Industries, a private biotech company, in partnership with CRRI. This project follows a successful experiment in Halol, Gujarat, where a service road made with bio-bitumen “withstood 2.5 years and three monsoon seasons,” proving to be “40% stronger” than traditional bitumen.
The process behind bio-bitumen production begins with creating ethanol and compressed biogas (CBG) from crop stubble, which generates lignin as a byproduct. This lignin is then converted into bio-bitumen, which is mixed with conventional bitumen. Praj’s technology allows up to “15% blending.” Gadkari pointed out that as many as “400 CBG projects are coming up” across India, creating an ongoing demand for biomass, particularly crop residue. This biomass will be processed into lignin, which can subsequently be used to make bio-bitumen. Gadkari also stated that India requires “Rs 90,000 crore” worth of bitumen annually, of which “Rs 50,000 crore” is imported. By using lignin for production, the country can reduce its reliance on imports and “reduce the cost by Rs 8/kg.” He also added that the inclusion of rubber powder is also expected to help “boost another industry”.
