The Government of Odisha convened a high-level meeting today under the chairpersonship of Smt. Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, to explore the use of plastic waste in road construction.
Smt. Padhee emphasised the urgent need to adopt environment-friendly practices in infrastructure projects. She highlighted that plastic waste—especially from bottles and carry bags—can be shredded and blended with heated bitumen and aggregates to build durable roads. This technique, already proven effective by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), not only improves road quality but also offers a practical solution for plastic waste management.
The meeting proposed launching pilot projects in selected urban areas across Odisha to test the feasibility of this method. Officials discussed how this initiative could significantly reduce environmental pollution and promote a circular economy by repurposing non-biodegradable waste.
Key attendees included Dr. N. Thirumala Naik, Vice Chairman, BDA; Mr. J.P. Burma, Project Director, NHAI; Abinas Behera, Manager Technical RO NHAI; Sri Bilas Behera, EIC PH; Shri Binay Dash, Additional Secretary, H&UD; Shri Ratnakar Sahu, Additional Commissioner, BMC, along with other senior officials and stakeholders.
The meeting concluded with a consensus to move forward with technically sound pilot projects, ensuring collaboration among departments, urban local bodies, and technical experts.
