New Delhi: India is shifting toward sustainable road construction by adopting bitumen emulsion technology, a move expected to boost eco-friendly infrastructure and reduce environmental impact. Speaking at the International Conference on Bitumen Emulsion 2025 (ICBE 2025), Union Minister of State Shri Harsh Malhotra said that road infrastructure has already generated over 650 crore mandays of employment, contributing 3.2% to GDP. He noted that adopting greener technologies like bitumen emulsion is critical to achieving Vision 2047 and India’s net-zero target by 2070.
The Minister emphasized the transformative potential of bitumen emulsion technology, especially in cold and wet conditions. “It’s an emerging technology and crucial for sustainability, speed, and cost-effectiveness in road construction,” he said.
India currently imports 40% of its bitumen, posing both a challenge and opportunity. With 6 million km of road network—including 3.5 lakh km of rural roads built in the last decade—India now boasts one of the largest road infrastructures globally.
The Minister assured that if the conference establishes bitumen emulsion as economically viable and scalable, the government is committed to mainstreaming it. “Innovation must be backed with economic and environmental sustainability,” he said.
Shri V.K. Rajawat, DG, Road Development, MoRTH, said India’s highways are entering the maintenance phase, and sustainable solutions like bitumen emulsion will be vital.
Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO, PHDCCI, highlighted the need to “build tomorrow’s roads with today’s technology” and cited national programs like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, and PMGSY as key drivers of India’s infrastructure mission.
Speakers, including Mr. Joe Ferrara, Vice President at Nouryon, and Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Director, CSIR-CRRI, underscored the versatility and scalability of bitumen-based technologies like micro surfacing and cold recycling, noting their role in building climate-resilient, modern roads.
The conference also saw the release of a joint report on Performance Bituminous Emulsion for Cold Recycling Technology, prepared by CSIR-CRRI and sponsored by Nouryon.
