Positive impactSector
Gadkari backs IIT tech; waste plastic used in bitumen for national highway for first time
Times of India 2 hrs ago·1 Oct 2026, 12:31 pm
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, headed by Nitin Gadkari, has approved a pilot that blends waste plastic with bitumen on a section of NH‑44 near Jhansi. The technology was developed by an IIT research team and is being used on a national highway for the first time.
The plastic‑bitumen mix can reduce the quantity of conventional bitumen by roughly four percent, potentially lowering road‑building costs and cutting India's dependence on imported bitumen. This development is relevant for investors in construction firms, bitumen suppliers and plastic‑recycling businesses, as it could shift demand patterns.
Market participants will watch for a wider rollout, any government incentives, and the speed at which the method is commercialised. A larger adoption could create new opportunities in the recycling sector and affect the outlook for companies tied to traditional bitumen.
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- Category: Sector.
- AI reads the tone as positive (potentially bullish) for the stock.
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