Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, has urged states to accelerate the adoption of steel slag–based technologies for sustainable road construction, particularly in hilly and difficult terrains. He noted that despite proven benefits, uptake of the technology across Himalayan states and Union Territories remains limited and requires focused outreach and training.

The Minister was addressing an event marking the signing of an agreement between the Technology Development Board (TDB) and Visakhapatnam-based Ramuka Global Eco Work for the commercial production of ‘ECOFIX’, a ready-to-use pothole repair mix. He said workshops were being organised to familiarise state agencies and road construction departments with steel slag technology and its applications.

According to Dr Jitendra Singh, a two-day workshop on steel slag roads will be held next week in Jammu & Kashmir, followed by similar programmes in other states and UTs. He highlighted that Himalayan and hill states could benefit significantly from the technology due to shorter working seasons, heavy rainfall and frequent road damage, even as awareness among engineers and officials remains uneven.

Tracing the development of the technology, the Minister said pilot trials began nearly two years ago in locations such as Surat in Gujarat and parts of the Northeast, including Arunachal Pradesh. Since then, steel slag–based road repair solutions have been deployed in states including Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. However, he stressed that many potential users were still unaware of the technology’s availability.

The agreement formalises the commercial rollout of ECOFIX, developed by CSIR–Central Road Research Institute and supported by TDB. The product converts processed iron and steel slag into a ready-to-use mix that can be applied even in wet conditions, helping reduce repair time and traffic disruption. Officials said laboratory validation and field trials under Indian conditions have shown improved durability and lower lifecycle costs compared to conventional methods.

“Publicly funded research must translate into visible public benefit. Innovations like ECOFIX show how science can move from laboratories to everyday life by solving routine yet critical problems such as potholes,” said Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.

The TDB and its industry partner plan to set up a steel slag processing facility with an annual capacity of nearly two lakh tonnes, with commercial production expected by end-2027, supporting sustainability goals while generating employment.