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- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

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Star Citizens

How an Indian Scientist Turned Plastic Trash into Eco-friendly Streets

Plastic, notorious for its slow degradation, has choked our environment, filling dumping grounds beyond capacity. In a resounding response to this crisis, an Indian scientist has pioneered a groundbreaking technique, crafting streets out of recycled plastic, a marvel that not only enhances road quality but also tackles the mounting waste issue. R Vasudevan recognized plastic as a potential solution—transforming it from a problem to a resource. By ingeniously blending traditional road tar with plastic, he concocted a polymerized mix that not only fosters durability but also repurposes plastic waste that would otherwise be discarded or burnt. His innovation hinges on a meticulous balance, incorporating a mere fraction of plastic waste—1/10th, to be precise—for every kilo of stone and 50 grams of bitumen used. This not only trims bitumen usage but also reinforces roads, augmenting their strength twofold compared to conventional tar roads. The infusion of plastic simultaneously elevates aggregate impact value, rendering the roads more robust and less susceptible to the erosive effects of water. This eco-friendly transformation has been embraced throughout the nation - from panchayats to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The NHAI, in particular, has committed to integrating plastic waste into highway construction, especially along urban fringes, fostering a network of environmentally conscious roads. The impact of Vasudevan's ingenuity has already spanned over 100,000 kilometers of plastic-infused roads in India, a number that continues to swell. And it's not confined to Indian borders. Globally, his techniques are inspiring counterparts in various nations, with Indonesian cities like Bali, Surabaya, and others adopting plastic-asphalt mixes to reshape their streets. In recognition of his innovative strides and contributions to society, Rajagopalan Vasudevan was bestowed the Padma Shri award in 2018. His journey epitomizes how creative thinking can turn a scourge into a solution, paving the way for a more sustainable, waste-conscious world.

31 Aug 2023
Star Citizens

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Sohna-Dausa Stretch of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway: A Game-Changer for Travellers!

The new Sohna-Dausa stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will soon be opened to the public after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 12, 2023. This exciting development means that the distance between Delhi and Jaipur, approximately 270 km, can now be covered in under two hours. The 1,390 km long Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the longest in the country, will reduce travel time between the two cities to 12 hours, cutting the previous travel time of 24 hours. The eight-lane expressway, which is expandable to 12 lanes, is part of the first phase of the Bharatmala Pariyojana and is expected to be completed by March 2023. The expressway will cover five states, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, and is expected to drive economic growth in the regions it passes through. The Bharatmala Pariyojana aims to optimize the efficiency of the movement of goods and people across India. Its first phase, approved in October 2017, involves the development of 34,800 km of national highways, with a focus on corridor-based development to ensure infrastructure symmetry and consistent road user experience. The Vadodara-Ankleshwar section of the expressway is nearly complete, along with the Ambala-Kotputli Corridor and the Amritsar-Jamnagar Corridor. The new Sohna-Dausa stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway marks a significant step forward in road travel between Delhi and Jaipur and is a testament to the government's commitment to improving India's infrastructure and promoting economic growth.

31 Jan 2023
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Government To Launch National Toll Free Number For Highway Accidents

In wake of increasing number of accidents on national highways, the government is all set to launch a national toll-free number - '1033' to report road accidents on national highways (NHs) or lodge complaints with regard to their operation and maintenance. The helpline '1033' is scheduled to be launched in the first week of February. According to NHAI chairman Deepak Kumar, all work related to the project is completed. Its aim is to provide quick help, rescue any accident victim, and take him/her to the nearest hospital. He added that a massive drive would be undertaken to popularise the toll-free number among road users.

27 Jan 2018
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National highways to get high speed with fewer entry-exit points

In next four to five years, about 20,000 kilometre stretch of major national highways will have very few entry and exit points to facilitate high speed transport These major national highways will be free of any median, U-turns and side entries to allow uninterrupted high speed travelling for fast moving and heavy vehicles. The roads will also be protected from proper barricades to prevent the stray animals on coming on the highways. Along with the above said changes, the government under the Phase I of the Bharatmala scheme will expand certain stretches to four lanes which would cost around Rs 3.85 lakh crore. The slow moving vehicles like rickshaws, motor-bikes lead to many traffic crashes due to the speed. Also, where a four-lane road in Japan can carry about 40,000 vehicles, similar road in India cannot carry more than 20,000 vehicles which further breaches the traffic. To solve this issue the roads have to be converted to six lanes which would incur lots of land acquisitions and huge capital investment. Road transport and highways ministry under Nitin Gadkari proposed the concept of access controlled roads which are common abroad. These roads will have limited entry and exit points with separated service roads used to arrive onto the highways. The highways as of now for the implementation are the Mumbai-Kolkata and Mangalore-Bangalore, Ludhiana to Kandla and Porbandar to Silchar which carry most of the road transport goods and connect important financial hubs.  

28 Apr 2017
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Approval to convert 57,500 km state highways to national highways passed by centre

To increase the usage of 1.13 lakh km national highways across the nation, Cabinet has passed approval to convert existing 57,500 km state highways to national highways. To reduce traffic jams, enhance smooth transport and induce better connectivity, the following decision was made. The increasing congestions and accidents on highways has been a red alert over the safety of travellers. To address this issue, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan has added various rules and limits on travellers. The number of passenger car units running on the national highways were about 15,000 per day in plains, 11,000 per day in rolling and 8000 per day in mountainous terrains. Mr. Pon Radhakrishnan replied in the writing to Lok Sabha stating that, “About 57,500 km length roads have been approved ‘in principle’ for their declaration as new national highways subject to outcome of their detailed project reports.” The following decision will convert every national highways into four lanes to enhance market borrowings and thereby adjusting the budget allocation for the project. The estimated cost is about Rs. 59,249 crore. The four lane conversion of national highways will be done by National Highway Authorities and the two lane roads will be done by Public Works Department.

24 Mar 2017
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Now, country will have its longest tunnel in  Jammu

Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is all set to start the first longest-tunnel in the country.  The trial run of the longest road tunnel in India is completed and after its successful run, it will soon be open for common man. with 9.2 km long, this tunnel is surely one of the longest road tunnels and has luxurious four-lanes which is a treat for drivers.  This one of its kind longest tunnel is likely to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the month-end.  Apart from the longest-tunnel, this project also boasts world class internal tunnel control system. This system will allow ventilation, fire-control, communication and electrical system and signals. Everything inside the tunnel will be operated automatically.  This tunnel will prove beneficial to reduce the traffic jams on National Highway - 1A. This highway usually sees traffic jam due to snowfall and avalanches in winter. This project took almost six years to be completed and has around 124 CCTV cameras installed inside the tunnel to be seen in the main control room. This will ensure the smooth functioning of the tunnel during peek hours. The tunnel also has three-tier lighting system that will work 24X7.  Commuters travelling between Jammu Srinagar can reduce their travel time by two-and half hours. Distance between Chenani and Nashri which is now 41 km will be reduced to only 30 km.The speed limit for the drivers is 50 km per hour.  There is also going to be extra toll charges but if one can reach early and having the fun to travel in the longest tunnel then surely this extra buck will not pinch the pockets.         

20 Mar 2017
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