Vijayawada: Roads and buildings minister B C Janardhan Reddy initiated a pilot project to use advanced ‘steel slag’ technology for road construction and repair in the state. He officially launched the experimental road repair work using the steel slag method in Mandadam village near the Secretariat, on Monday.

Following the instructions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the state government is making efforts to provide citizens with better and higher-quality roads. Minister Reddy said that the government is adopting innovative methods like this to achieve that goal.

He explained that this initiative aligns with the government’s ‘waste to wealth’ philosophy, which aims to create valuable resources from waste materials. The roads will be repaired using a mixture derived from the waste products of steel plants.

The pilot project will use Ecofix, a mixture of steel slag and tar, to repair potholes during the rainy season. Experts will monitor the effectiveness of this mixture on the roads. Based on their findings, the minister said, further steps will be taken to repair and develop more roads in the future.

Ecofix is designed for immediate use, allowing for quick and efficient repair of potholes whenever and wherever needed.

It is particularly effective during the rainy season. Unlike traditional bitumen repair work, Ecofix does not need to be heated, which saves on fuel costs and reduces pollution.

The mixture can be used even if there is standing water on the road due to rain, making it an excellent solution for continuous work during the monsoon season. Scientists from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) have tested Ecofix and certified it as a durable and cost-effective material, superior to other currently used options.

This initiative is expected to offer both environmental and economic benefits. It will help in reducing land, water, and air pollution by reusing industrial waste while also saving public money due to its high performance and low cost.